Opposition party leaders, while expressing condolences over the deaths of more than 200 passengers in the Odisha train accident, have raised questions about the signalling system of the railways which purportedly led to the crash.
At least 233 people were killed and around 900 injured in the crash involving the Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express, the Shalimar-Chennai Central Coromandel Express and a goods train on Friday.
"Stunned & distressed to hear the tragic news of the Coromandel Express & Yashwantpur-Howrah train crash in Odisha.
"My fervent prayers for those affected & their families. ...That an alleged signalling failure led to 3 trains crashing is shocking beyond belief. There are serious questions which need answering," TMC spokesperson Saket Gokhale tweeted.
CPI(ML) general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya too raised the same question.
"Do we no longer have any signalling and safety system in Indian railways? Or will such terrible tragedies become the new normal for rail travel in India? We owe an answer to the victims and to the families who lost their near and dear ones in this mishap," he said in a tweet.
CPI MP Binoy Viswam has demanded that Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw resign over the incident.
"Government concentrates only on luxury trains. Trains and tracks of common people are neglected. Orissa deaths are the result of it. Rail minister should resign. concentrate only on luxury trains. Trains and tracks of common people are neglected. Orissa deaths are the result of it. Rail minister should resign," Viswam said in a tweet.
President of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, JP Nadda, in a tweet said the BJP has has decided to postpone all its programmes to mark the completion of nine years of its government at the Centre in the wake of the accident.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and former party chief Rahul Gandhi had on Friday expressed sadness over the train tragedy in Odisha and urged party workers and leaders to extend all support needed for rescue efforts.
In a tweet in Hindi, BSP chief Mayawati expressed sadness at the loss of lives and hoped that the victims' kin would find the strength to overcome the sorrow.
"The Centre should take this horrific accident very seriously and conduct an immediate, high-level, time-bound inquiry into it and provide appropriate financial assistance to the families of all the deceased and arrange better treatment for the injured persons. This is the demand of the BSP," she said in another tweet.
Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Saturday expressed grief over the death of 238 people in a train accident in Odisha’s Balasore district.
He wished the speedy recovery of those injured in the accident that occurred on Friday evening.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Saturday expressed grief at the train accident that killed more than 200 people in Odisha.
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