Kanchanjunga accident: Opposition slams Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw for being 'busy with reels'

Indian opposition launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government and his Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Monday (Jun 17) after a trainaccident in the eastern state of West Bengal. At least 9people were killed and more than 40injured as the Sealdah-bound Kanchanjunga Express was hit by a goods train from behind in Siliguri.

India's principal opposition party Congress blamed the accident on "mismanagement" by the railway ministry, saying the rail minister is always "busy with making reels".

Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge said the railway ministry had become a platform of 'camera-driven' self-promotion.

"In the past 10 years, the Modi government has indulged in the utter mismanagement of the Railway Ministry... Make no mistake, we will remain persistent with our questions and shall make the Modi government accountable for its criminal abandonment of the Indian Railways," Kharge said.

The party has demanded Vaishnaw's resignation.

Congress also highlighted the 2023 Odisha train collision in which 290 people were killed.

"Wrong management, wrong policy, wrong steps are behind the rail accidents. The load on tracks has been increasing, but there is no focus on safety. The country has not recovered from the rail accident in Odisha and now this big accident has happened. The Rail Ministry is not able to manage. The Railway Minister should resign," News agency PTI quoted Congress leader Pramod Tiwari as saying.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, a fierce rival of PM Modi, also took on the National Democratic Alliance government for 'carelessness.'

She said the railway ministry doesn't even care about railway officials, engineers, technical staff and workers, much less the passengers.

Watch:Kanchanjunga Express Train Accident: At least 15 dead, 60 injured in collision

"They (the Railway Ministry) don't care about passenger amenities. They don't even care about railway officials, railway engineers, railway technical staff, and workers. They are also in trouble. Their old pension has been withdrawn. I am completely with the railway employees and railway officials. They are trying their best. But this government only cares about the election. How to go for hacking, how to go for manipulation, how to rig the election... I think they should give more time for governance, not for utterance," Mamata Banerjee said.

Rashtriya Janata Dal (RDJ) leader and former railway minister Lalu Prasad Yadav took to X to criticise the government.
"Who is responsible for the continuous railway accidents in the country?" he wrote.

Reacting to the statements by the opposition, minister Vaishnaw said it was not the time for politics.

"Right now our focus is on restoration. This is the main line. The rescue operation has been completed. This is not the time for politics. I will also meet the injured," Vaishnaw stated.

Vaishnaw earlier visited the accident site in West Bengal and later went to North Bengal Medical College and Hospital to meet with the injured victims and offer his support and assurances.

(With inputs from agencies)