Howrah-CSMT Express derailment: Oppn slams Ashwini Vaishnaw as 'Reel minister', questions govt rail accidents

Opposition parties -- Shiv Sena (UBT), Samajwadi Party, Trinamool Congress (TMC) and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) -- condemned the Centre after the recent train accident in Jharkhand. On early Tuesday morning, at least 18 coaches of the Howrah-CSMT Express passenger train.

The train accident left 2 people dead and 20 injured. Due to the accident, Howrah-Kantabaji Ispat Express (22861), Kharagpur-Dhanbad Express, and Hawrah-Barbil Express were cancelled. 

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi attacked Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw a 'reel minister' and criticised overcrowding in trains. She added, "People are travelling in toilets but the government is not ashamed." Chaturvedi also questioned the government's response to the recent spate of rail-related mishaps. 

"Announce compensation, promise enquiry and move on to another PR Instagram reel. Shameful apathy," the Shiv Sena (UBT) MP said. In another post, she said, "Derailment a day, keeps the mantri away (from self prachaar)." 

She, however, was not the only one to question the Central government on the increase in rail accidents. Taking a jibe at the Narendra Modi-led NDA government, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav said the government wants to make a record in train accidents. 

"They had record number of paper leaks, and now railway accidents. This government only makes big claims. People are losing their lives. The government should do something about it so that such accidents do not happen in future," the Kannauj Lok Sabha MP said. 

TMC supremo and West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee offered condolences to the victims' families and asked the government to fix accountability and take measures to prevent such incidents.

While questioning the government on a spate of rail accidents, Banerjee wrote: "I seriously ask: is this governance? This series of nightmares almost every week, this unending procession of deaths and injuries on railway tracks: for how long shall we tolerate this? Will there be no end to the callousness of Government of India?"

Moreover, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) also slammed the Centre and urged Vaishnaw to focus on railways instead of making social media reels. The party also distanced itself from the accident, saying CM Hemant Soren and the INDIA alliance weren't involved in any way.