The Narendra Modi government has “thoroughly compromised” basic railway safety, the Congress said on Tuesday after a high-level inquiry concluded that “wrong signalling” was the reason for the three-way train collision at Balasore in Odisha.
The inquiry by the Commissioner of Railway Safety flagged “lapses at multiple levels” in the Signal and Telecommunication (S&T) department and said the tragedy could have been averted if past red flags were reported.
“This is what we have been saying all along. In the craze for inaugurating Vande Bharat trains, fixating on bullet trains and tinkering with specialised cadres, the Modi government has thoroughly compromised on basic issues of railway safety that don’t make for photo-ops and headlines,” Congress general secretary (communication) Jairam Ramesh tweeted.
“Clearly, the Balasore tragedy was human error at the root of which is management failure, which includes the political leadership. What will it take to bring the overall approach to the railways back on track?” Mr Ramesh added.
Addressing a press conference at the party headquarters, Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate said the government should ensure that passengers reach their destinations safely. “We would like to appeal to the government that do not get into this business of hot food and new Vande Bharats. First ensure the safety of those travelling by train. It is the responsibility of the government to ensure that people reach their destinations safely and not just keep flagging off trains,” she said, adding, “All the lies of the government have fallen flat through this report.”
Lok Sabha member and Congress leader Manickam Tagore asked how Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw continued in his position when his “inaction killed hundreds of passengers who believed they won’t die before reaching home”.
