Odisha train accident: Congress demands Ashwini Vaishnaw's resignation

The party also wanted PM Modi to take partial responsibility for creating 'all is well' facade though critical issues like safety are neglected

Congress on Sunday “unequivocally and unambiguously” demanded the resignation of Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw over the Odisha rail tragedy and wanted Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take partial responsibility for creating “all is well” facade though critical issues like safety are neglected.

While the party wanted the Prime Minister to seek Vaishnaw's resignation, senior Congress leader and spokesperson Shaktisinh Gohil said “morality and responsibility travel in opposite direction for Modi” though the “mess” was inflicted by his government.

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"Mr Modi, You are busy flagging off the trains every day but do not pay any attention to rail safety. Accountability of the posts from top to bottom has to be fixed so that such accidents can be prevented from happening in future. Only then the victims of this accident will get justice," Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said, tweeting a series of questions.

Congress Media Department Chairman Pawan Khera told a press conference that Vaishnaw should resign owning responsibility, as he blamed the Railway Minister whose “over the top publicity, theatrics and PR gimmicks overshadowed the serious deficiencies, criminal negligence and complete disregard for safety and security of Indian Railways”.

Congress General Secretary (Communications) Jairam Ramesh too referred in a tweet to the “PR campaign” and alleged Modi and Vaishnaw compromised railway safety. Khera and Ramesh cited the examples of Lal Bahadur Shastri, Madhavrao Scindia and Nitish Kumar who as Railway Ministers owned up responsibility and resigned following rail accidents.

Khera alleged that Modi himself was responsible for the “all-is-well” facade even as “crucial, sensitive, and critical infrastructure” languishes in neglect.

Khera alleged that there is criminal neglect of the signalling system despite multiple warnings and referred to a communication by Principal Chief Operating Manager of South Western Railway Zone raising concerns of signal failure on February 9.

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Khera said the official noted that a major disaster was averted at Hosadurga station but warned that serious accidents could take place if the signal maintenance system was not monitored and corrected. “Why did Vaishnaw not act on this report,” Khera asked.

“Despite multiple warnings by the CAG, Parliamentary Standing Committees, and experts – why did the Modi Govt not spend on sprucing up railway safety? Who is responsible for this deadliest rail tragedy in independent India? Would only lower or mid-level functionaries bear the brunt of accountability or will the executive who takes all the credit for Vande Bharat trains also be held accountable for this brazen disregard for safety standards?” he asked.

He also claimed that presentations on railway safety at 'Chintan Shivir' were skipped on Friday hours before the accident. Citing media reports, he claimed that discussion on the launch of Vande Bharat trains and increasing revenue were allowed but only one zone was allowed to make a presentation on safety while others were disallowed.

Also Read | Odisha train derailment one of deadliest in Indian Railways' history

While emphasising that CAG and Parliamentary Standing Committee on Railways had highlighted the deficiencies, Khera and Gohil also asked the government when it will implement the much-hyped Kavach Anti-Collision system nationwide. They also referred to the 3.11 lakh vacancies in Railways.

Khera said that the Railway Board recently highlighted loco pilots have been deployed over and above their prescribed working hours resulting in a threat to the safety of train operations.

“This is not a natural calamity. This is man-made devastation caused by utter negligence, serious lapses in the system, incompetence, and a narcissistic sense of 'know it all' attitude by the Modi government, clubbed with high decibel PR which exposed the hollowness at every level of railway governance,” he said.

“The Prime Minister, who has announced that the guilty would be punished, must first start with his Railway Minister. Unequivocally and unambiguously we demand the resignation of the Union Railway Minister. Nothing short of it,” Khera added.