Kanchanjunga Express Accident: A tragic incident took place in West Bengal today when the 13174 Agartala-Sealdah Kanchanjungha Express collided with a goods train, claiming lives of nine people and leaving several others injured. Following the incident, Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee came down heavily at the PM Modi-led government, blaming the Centre for its negligence. She also said that the centre should focus more on governance than utterance.
She stated that she had received information about the accident at 9 AM and had been managing the sitaution through her chief secretary and other officials since then.
Lashing out at the Centre over the "negligence faced by the entire Railway Department", Mamata Banerjee said: "I started so many things, but they are only doing publicity of Vande Bharat trains. Where is Duronto Express? After the Rajdhani Express, Duronto was the fastest train...Today, the entire Railway Department is facing negligence. I feel proper care must be taken of the Railway Ministry."
"Right after the incident took place, state govt provided medical team, disaster teams, Ambulance and everything possible to normalise the situation," she said, adding her administration was informed about the incident even before the Centre.
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"I got the information about the accident at 9 AM. Since then, I am managing the situation through my Chief Secretary and other officials. Medical vans, disaster teams, and doctors were sent to the site to help the injured and to begin the restoration work. I came here to see all the patients. There are patients from Bardhaman, Krishnanagar and locals as well. I had a conversation with most of the patients," the Bengal CM said, elaborating on the efforts undertaken by the state government after the train mishap.
The Railway Board stated that the death toll reached nine. Besides, nine people are seriously injured and 32 suffered minor injuries.
The Bengal CM also showed solidarity with the Railway employees and took a jibe at the Centre saying that the government should "give more time for governance and not for utterance." "This government only takes care about elections-how to hack, how to manipulate, how to rig elections," she added.
Mamata Banerjee claimed that the "entire Railway department is facing negligence" and stressed that the Centre was only promoting Vande Bhart trains.
'No One Knows What's Happening In Railways Today'
The Bengal CM further highlighted the work done by her when she was the Railways Minister and how she "started the usage of anti-collision device".
Taking credit for the device, and adding that nothing new has been done since she was the Railways minister, Mamata Banerjee said: "When I was the Railways Minister, I saw 2-3 major train accidents after that I ensured that the anti-collision device was prepared and started. After that collision of trains stopped. What is happening in the railways today, no one knows...There are several issues in the Railways Ministry."
"Separate Railways budget has been stopped and this department is not getting enough importance now...I know A-Z of the Railways.The new metro and railway stations are because of my time. Just see the 2020 vision, I gave money for everything," she added.
'Not Right To Say BJP Is Responsible': Ramdas Athawale
Follwing Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee's statement, Union Minister Ramdas Athawale said that it was wrong to call BJP responsible for the accident.
"Railway minister Aswini Vaishnaw is himself inspecting the accident...It is not right to say that BJP is responsible for these incidents...Mamata Banerjee should not do politics over this accident...The railway department should make sure that these kinds of incidents don't happen," he said.