Kolkata: “When will the govt come to its senses?” Bengal CM and Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee asked Centre on Thursday as she expressed her condolence following the death of seven people in the Chandigarh-Dibrugarh Express derailment near Gonda in UP.
“What are the railway authorities doing? What is the govt of India doing,” wondered Banerjee even as her party pointed out that ever since BJP took office in 2014, there had been 11 major train accidents that claimed hundreds of lives.
Taking to X, Banerjee posted: “Sad to know of yet another tragic rail accident today, at Gonda, UP! Another derailment of train, this time of the Chandigarh-Dibrugarh Express. What are the railway authorities doing!! What is the govt of India doing!! Safety and security of passengers are paramount!! When will the govt come to its senses? My condolences to the bereaved families, prayers for the injured.”
Banerjee has repeatedly spoken out about the need for anti-collision devices and BJP’s failure to ensure the safety of people, the most recent tragedy being the New Jalpaiguri accident that claimed 10 lives. The CM had also spoken out on railway fare hike, lack of passenger amenities, negligence towards railway employees and the missing railway budget, Trinamool said.
Krishnanagar MP Mahua Moitra called out the railway minister, posting: ‘Another derailment in UP. Shame @AshwiniVaishnaw - Indian Railways in Emergency room after 10 years of Jumla Sarkar. Kavach anti-collision should be installed immediately on all routes in India. Total cost of only Rs 63,000 crores vs Rs 1,08,000 crores for Mum Ahmd bullet train.”
“In ANY other functional govt, Rail Minister @AshwiniVaishnaw would’ve been sacked. It’s mysterious as to why he’s not only kept in charge of the rail ministry but also rewarded with an extra cabinet berth by Modi,” posted Trinamool’s Rajya Sabha MP Saket Gokhale.