NEW DELHI: Already engaged in a bitter faceoff with the BJP, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Sunday demanded the resignation of Union rail minister Ashwini Vaishnaw in the wake of the tragic train accident in Odisha’s Balasore that killed over 270 and injured hundreds others.
The AAP, which has recently been recognized as a national party, alleged that the negligence of the Modi government and its emphasis on symbolic gestures have compromised the safety and lives of innocent citizens.
AAP chief spokesperson Priyanka Kakkar strongly criticized PM Narendra Modi’s frequent appearances at Vande Bharat flag-off events, likening him to a mere “station master.”
Kakkar argued that the Centre’s failure to prioritize the operation of high-speed trains on advanced tracks demonstrates a disregard for human lives.
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She also claimed that several complaints regarding faults in the signal maintenance system had been raised from various zones, but no substantial action was taken to rectify the issues. This negligence highlights the government’s lack of responsiveness and accountability in addressing critical safety concerns, she said.
Kakkar cited a warning issued by the railway principal chief operation manager on February 8, urging the government to take preventive measures to avoid accidents on the Bangalore-Delhi line.
Furthermore, the AAP leader criticized the railway minister’s self-promotion of the Train Collision Avoidance System, named as the Kavach System, developed in 2012. She highlighted that only 2 percent of trains have been equipped with this life-saving technology, exposing a significant gap between the government’s rhetoric and its actual commitment to passenger safety.
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AAP Rajya Sabha MP Dr Sandeep Pathak, who is also a member of the Railways Standing Committee, proposed the installation of anti-derailment devices and the upgrading of tracks for high-speed train operations.
He emphasized that the Modi government’s primary focus remained on the Vande Bharat project, raising questions about its commitment to passenger safety.
Earlier, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief and former Union minister Sharad Pawar cited the example of late Lal Bahadur Shashtri to demand Vaishnaw’s resignation, prompting a Twitter trend which saw people debating the logic of such demands.
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