New Delhi: After a massive train crash in Balasore, Odisha killed at least 288 people and left 900 wounded, opposition parties offered their condolences, with some hitting out at the Union government and demanding the resignation of railway minister Ashwani Vaishnaw.
On Friday night, three trains collided in what’s being considered one of the worst train mishaps in India. The accident occurred near Bahanaga Bazar station in Odisha’s Balasore around 7 pm, when coaches of the Shalimar-Chennai-Coromandel Express derailed, and hit a stationary freight train. The derailed coaches were then hit by an oncoming train — the Sir M. Visvesvaraya-Howrah Superfast Express.
As rescue operations continued in Odisha, opposition parties tweeted condolence messages and demanded accountability.
The Congress sent two of its MPs, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury and A. Chellakumar, to visit the accident site. In a statement issued Friday, All India Congress Committee general secretary Jairam Ramesh said that there were many “legitimate questions” to be raised about the accident.
The rail crash in Odisha is truly horrendous. It is a matter of the greatest anguish. It reinforces why SAFETY should always be the foremost priority in the functioning of the rail network. There are many legitimate questions that need to be raised but that should wait till…
— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) June 3, 2023
The Trinamool Congress, on the other hand, demanded the railway minister’s resignation, with party MP and national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee issuing a statement late Friday night.
“100+ lives lost. My heart goes out to the families who lost their loved ones. Wishing a speedy recovery to the injured. If there remains a semblance of conscience, the Railway Minister should resign. NOW,” Abhishek said on Facebook.
One of the trains involved in the crash was bound for Howrah, West Bengal.
Meanwhile, reports quoted West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who visited the site of the accident in Balasore, as saying that her information said the death toll could exceed 500 people. She was speaking in front of Vaishnaw, who contested her figures.
“When an incident like this happens, the Railways should hand it over to the Safety Commission. They investigate it and prepare the report,” Banerjee, a former Union railway minister herself, told the press at the site of the incident.
Banerjee had served as railway minister twice — once under the National Democratic Alliance led by the BJP’s Atal Bihari Vajpayee and then under the United Progressive Alliance led by the Congress’s Manmohan Singh.
She added: “When I was minister, I had cleared an anti-collision device. Since then, rail accidents had gone down. The device was such that if two trains come in one line, they’ll stop. The rail minister is here. I want to say that here there were no anti-collision devices.”
Also Read: At least 261 killed, 900 injured in Odisha triple train collision, rescue teams racing against time
‘Anguished’
Similar messages of condolence poured in from other leaders.
“At this moment of grave national tragedy on account of the terrible train disaster in Odisha, I have instructed the entire Congress party organisation to extend all possible and needed help. A number of Congress leaders from different states have either already reached or will soon be reaching Balasore. I once again extend my heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. We have many questions to ask of the prime minister and the railway minister but those can wait since the immediate task is of rescue and relief,” Kharge’s statement said.
Former Congress president Sonia Gandhi also issued a similar statement.
“I am most pained and anguished by the terrible train disaster in Odisha. I extend my deepest sympathy and condolences to all the bereaved families,” she said.
Her son Rahul tweeted his condolences, as did Delhi CM and Aam Aadmi Party supremo Arvind Kejriwal, Bihar CM Nitish Kumar and his deputy, Tejashwi Yadav.
Anguished by the tragic news of the accident involving the Coromandel Express, in Balasore, Odisha.
My heart goes out to the bereaved families. Wishing for the speedy recovery of those injured.
I urge Congress workers & leaders to extend all support needed for rescue efforts.
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) June 2, 2023
Kejriwal said the accident was “unfortunate and distressing”.
“My condolences to all the families who lost their loved ones in this tragic accident. May God give place to the departed souls at his feet and give strength and courage to their families in this difficult time,” he said in a tweet in Hindi.
ओड़िशा में हुआ ये दर्दनाक रेल हादसा बेहद दुर्भाग्यपूर्ण एवं व्यथित कर देने वाला है। इस दुखद हादसे में जिन्होंने अपनों को खो दिया उन सभी परिवारों के प्रति में मेरी संवेदनाएँ हैं। ईश्वर दिवंगत आत्माओं को अपने चरणों में स्थान दें एवं उनके परिवारों को इस मुश्किल घड़ी में हिम्मत और… https://t.co/RtfBd3NrTe
— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) June 2, 2023
‘What happened to anti-collision devices?’
Some leaders, including Telangana minister and BRS leader K.T. Rama Rao, demanded to know what happened to the anti-collision devices that are meant to prevent such accidents.
Aghast at the horrific train collision that killed 233 passengers and left many more wounded
My heartfelt condolences & prayers to all the families of the passengers who lost their loved ones and those affected 🙏
What happened to the Anti Collision Devices ? This is indeed a…
— KTR (@KTRBRS) June 3, 2023
Trinamool Congress (TMC) spokesperson Saket Gokhale asked similar questions, wondering what happened to the Train Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) that was developed when party chief Mamata Banerjee was railway minister.
Shocking facts about Modi Govt criminally ignoring railway anti-collision technology:
👉 In 2011-12, Indian Railways under then Railways Minister @MamataOfficial developed the "Train Collision Avoidance System (TCAS)" system
👉 Modi Govt, after coming to power, typically…
— Saket Gokhale (@SaketGokhale) June 3, 2023
This is an updated version of this report
(Edited by Uttara Ramaswamy)
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