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The recent Kanchanjunga Express accident has reignited controversy and given the Opposition fresh grounds to criticize Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw. The Congress party, spearheading this attack, has called for the resignation of the BJP leader, accusing him of negligence. They claim that the Railway Ministry is being "mismanaged" and allege that Vaishnaw is more preoccupied with making social media reels than addressing critical safety concerns for passengers.
The tragic incident resulted in the deaths of at least nine people and injuries to over thirty others. This occurred when three rear coaches of the Sealdah-bound Kanchanjunga Express derailed on Monday after colliding with a goods train in Siliguri, West Bengal.
In response to the tragedy, Vaishnaw visited the accident site to assess the situation and stated that the current focus should be on restoring services rather than engaging in political disputes. He emphasized that the rescue operation was complete and restoration was underway, insisting that this was not the appropriate time for political manoeuvring.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge criticized the Narendra Modi government, accusing it of transforming the Railway Ministry into a vehicle for "camera-driven" self-promotion. He argued that over the past decade, the Modi administration has grossly mismanaged the Railway Ministry. Kharge asserted that the Congress would continue to press the government for answers and hold it accountable for what he termed as a gross neglect of the Indian Railways.
Further pressing for accountability, Congress leader Pramod Tiwari demanded Vaishnaw's resignation, pointing to systemic mismanagement as the cause of the accident. Tiwari highlighted the increasing burden on railway tracks and the lack of attention to safety, recalling the previous year’s Coromandel Express disaster in Odisha's Balasore, which resulted in over 290 fatalities. He argued that the Rail Ministry's inability to manage the situation necessitated Vaishnaw’s resignation.
Adding to the criticism, Congress’s communications head Jairam Ramesh accused Vaishnaw’s tenure since July 2021 of being characterized by excessive publicity and social media activity with no real accountability. Ramesh referenced a post on X which claimed that over 329 lives have been lost due to train accidents and security issues since August 2021, underscoring the need for greater accountability.
Congress leader Supriya Shrinate also condemned the Railway Minister for the lack of responsibility despite frequent train accidents, expressing concern over the current state of Indian Railways. She questioned when safety issues would be discussed, pointing out that the minister seemed too occupied with making social media reels to address such matters properly.
RJD chief and former Railways Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav also voiced his criticism on X, questioning the government on who should be held accountable for the recurring railway accidents in the country.
