Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw delivered a vigorous defense of the BJP government’s safety record in the Lok Sabha, addressing the opposition’s criticisms regarding recent train derailments. Vaishnaw, visibly agitated by the Opposition's allegations, took strong exception to be labeled the ‘Reel Minister’ and asserted that the Opposition’s focus on politics undermined the significant improvements made in railway safety.
In his fiery address, Vaishnaw accused the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government of neglecting critical safety measures during their tenure, specifically targeting the lack of Automatic Train Protection (ATP) systems. “Those who are shouting here must be asked why they were not able to install ATP even for 1 km during their 58 years in power. Today, they dare to raise questions,” he said, referring to the long-standing issue of railway safety and the Opposition’s criticisms.
Vaishnaw’s remarks were also a direct response to Rashtriya Loktantrik Party MP Hanuman Beniwal, who had derisively called him the ‘reel minister’ in light of recent train derailments. The Minister retorted sharply, “You please shut up,” and countered the Opposition's portrayal of him as someone focused more on social media rather than addressing substantive issues.
The criticism aimed at Vaishnaw as the ‘Reel Minister’ highlighted a broader contention that he has been more concerned with his public image than with improving railway infrastructure. Vaishnaw countered this by pointing to data showing a substantial decrease in railway accidents under the current BJP government. He noted that the average number of accidents during the UPA era was 171 annually, a figure that has dropped by 68 percent over the past decade under the BJP’s administration.
Drawing a comparison to previous ministers, Vaishnaw criticized past record-keeping and performance, referencing how Mamata Banerjee, a former Railway Minister, reported a minor decrease in accident rates during her tenure. “When Mamata Banerjee was the Railway Minister, she used to report the accident numbers decreasing from 0.24 to 0.19. People used to clap in the House, and today, when it has decreased from 0.19 to 0.03, they cast such blame. Will this country run in this way?” Vaishnaw asked.
The Minister further challenged the Congress party, accusing them of spreading false claims through social media to instill fear among the millions of daily railway passengers. He questioned the intent behind these allegations and accused the Congress of using social media to undermine the progress made in railway safety.
Recent train derailments have intensified scrutiny of railway safety measures, with a notable incident on July 30 near Jamshedpur, Jharkhand, where 18 coaches of the Howrah-Mumbai Mail derailed, resulting in two deaths and 22 injuries. The Congress has criticized Vaishnaw, labeling him the “Fail Minister” and pointing to a series of accidents in recent months as evidence of inadequate safety oversight. They argue that there is a lack of accountability in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government, despite the substantial improvements claimed by the Minister.
Vaishnaw’s statements reflect the ongoing debate over railway safety in India, highlighting the tension between political accountability and the real challenges faced in maintaining and improving infrastructure amidst growing passenger numbers and operational complexities.
