Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw Defends Government's Record Amid Opposition Criticism

Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw rebuffed criticisms from Congress, accusing it of creating fear about small railway incidents. He emphasized government initiatives to enhance safety and address crowded trains. Vaishnaw also highlighted significant improvements and future plans, while opposition demanded his resignation and staged a walk-out.

Amidst heated exchanges in the Lok Sabha, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw launched a scathing attack on previous Congress governments, accusing them of exploiting minor railway incidents to instill fear among passengers. Vaishnaw insisted that the current administration is committed to improving railway safety and adding more general coaches to address overcrowding.

Responding to the debate on the Demand for Grants of Railways, Vaishnaw listed a series of reforms including the introduction of Amrit Bharat trains and the recruitment of additional personnel. He also took a swipe at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for his social media activities with loco pilots, asserting his team's dedication to hard work over showmanship.

Despite the Opposition's walkout in protest, Vaishnaw cited notable safety improvements under the government, such as eliminating unmanned level crossings and implementing the Kavach 4.0 automatic train protection system. He underscored enhanced safety budgets and called for expedited land acquisition in states like Kerala and Tamil Nadu to accelerate railway projects.

(With inputs from agencies.)