New Delhi: Minister for Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw forcefully rebutted the Opposition’s criticisms regarding recent train derailments during his address to the Lok Sabha on Thursday. A visibly agitated Vaishnaw took issue with being labeled the 'Reel Minister' and countered accusations of neglect and mismanagement in railway safety.
Vaishnaw criticized the Opposition for their past inaction, stating, "Those who are shouting here must be asked why they were not able to install Automatic Train Protection (ATP) even for 1 km during their 58 years in power. Today, they dare to raise questions.”
He referred to recent criticism from Rashtriya Loktantrik Party MP Hanuman Beniwal, who had called him a 'reel minister' and a 'derail minister'. Vaishnaw responded angrily, saying, “You please shut up,” and added, “We’re not just people who make reels; we’re people who work hard,” in response to accusations of focusing too much on social media. The Opposition has mocked Vaishnaw, accusing him of prioritizing his social media image over substantial improvements in railway infrastructure. They have dubbed him the 'Reel Minister,' implying a lack of real-world effectiveness.
Vaishnaw defended his record by highlighting a significant reduction in train accidents under the current BJP government. He noted that the annual average number of accidents during the Congress-led UPA regime was 171, but it has decreased by 68 percent under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's tenure. “When Mamata Banerjee was Railway Minister, she reported a decrease in accident numbers from 0.24 to 0.19. Today, when it has decreased from 0.19 to 0.03, they cast such blame. Will this country run in this way?” he questioned.
He also accused the Congress of using social media to spread fear among the 2 crore people who travel by train daily. “Congress, with the help of its troll army on social media, raises false claims. Are they trying to instil fear in the hearts of railway passengers?” Vaishnaw asked. Recent train derailments have heightened scrutiny, with the latest incident occurring 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 the Minister as the 'Fail Minister,' alleging that he has overseen three major accidents in June and July alone, resulting in 17 fatalities, with no accountability from the Modi government.
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