Union Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Monday sought to send out a strong message to those behind alleged attempts to derail trains over the past few months. Speaking to News18 India at the 'Chaupal' conclave, Vaishnaw said that law enforcement agencies will go after every “conspirator” and ensure no guilty is spared.
“Anyone making such attempts, I have a clear message for you – We will come after each one of you (conspirators) and ensure not one guilty is spared. We will ensure all those guilty face the full might of the law,” Vaishnaw said.
"Under any circumstances, we will responsibly protect the 2 crore passengers of the country who travel by trains every day. Will not let anyone play with the safety of passengers. We have to be alert enough to thwart every such attempt," he added.
The minister’s remarks came amid several incidents of train accidents being averted at the last moment. Many of these alleged train derailment bids have been attributed to a conspiracy. The Indian Railways said last week that there have been 18 attempts to derail trains across the country since August.
From June 2023 till date, there have been 24 such incidents, with authorities finding various kinds of objects placed on rail tracks, including LPG cylinders, bicycles, iron rods and cement blocks, the Railways said. As per the Railways report, of the 18 incidents, 15 occurred in August and three in September.
During his conversation, Vaishnaw also rejected the Opposition’s criticism against him over a rise in train accidents, pointing out that there has been a drastic reduction in such incidents after the Narendra Modi government came to power.
“Ten years ago, India reported an average of 171 accidents per year. Today, that figure stands at 40 per year which is a substantial reduction. We are striving to reduce it further, be in terms of structural or technological changes, or in taking remedial measures,” Vaishnaw said.
Vaishnaw further said that the Modi government is committed to make India a developed nation and society. “It is in our thought process. Opposition will do its job. We have our priorities and goals set and we are continuously working towards it,” he said.
Vaishnaw further alleged that the Congress did not focus on the aspect of safety of trains in the manner in which the Modi government has. Pointing out that the Kavach anti-train collision system was a testament to PM Modi’s focus on ‘Make In India’, Vaishnaw said that the implementation of the system across India will be completed in the next 5-6 years.
The minister also reacted to a question on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's recent remarks during his US trip and said that any Indian travelling abroad should bear in mind that he/she is representing the country.
"The Leader of Opposition (Rahul Gandhi) should remember how long his family and his party have ruled the country," he said.
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