The Congress on Monday demanded the resignation of Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, claiming that under him, the condition of the national carrier has deteriorated while train fares have been raised twice in a year.
Addressing a press conference at the Indira Bhawan headquarters of the party, Congress leader Ajoy Kumar said Vaishnaw has smartly increased the fare by 1 paisa or 2 paisa per km, but it burdens the common public "by Rs 100-200".
He asserted that the Railways are the "backbone of India's economy", not a means to "make profit".
Kumar called Vaishnaw a "reel minister" — a pun on the "rail minister" with the charge that he was more focused on digital content on trains as opposed to core issues of the Railways — and said he has increased rail fares twice since the government came to power in 2024.
The railway ministry on Sunday announced a hike in ticket prices by 1 paise per km for ordinary class beyond a journey of 215 km, and 2 paise per km for non-AC classes of mail/express trains and AC classes of all trains. The new rates will be effective from December 26, 2025.
The government has said the increase in fares will fetch Rs 600 crore to the Railways till March 31, 2026.
At the press conference, Kumar said that in the last 10 years under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, train fares have increased by up to 107 per cent, which has made it difficult for people to even travel by trains.
Kumar also demanded that the 'Kavach' — India's Automatic Train Protection (ATP) system that prevents train collision — should be immediately implemented in all trains, saying the "bullet train can wait but not safety".
'Kavach' is only available in 3 per cent of trains even though the government has raised the rail fare twice this year, he said.
"We urge Ashwini Vaishnaw to resign, because the condition of the Railways has deteriorated under him and due to his style of functioning. He should listen to his inner conscience," he told reporters.
"Our demand is that arrangements for the safety 'Kavach' should be made across the railway lines of the entire country… The discount provided to senior citizens in the railways should be reinstated, he said.
'Reel minister' Ashwini Vaishnaw should resign, he reiterated.
The Congress leader claimed that the CAG report states that the food served on trains is not fit for human consumption.
He cited that 1,200 BSF personnel posted for security during the Mata Vaishno Devi pilgrimage were deployed, but such substandard trains were sent for them that the jawans refused to board them.
"If they can provide such poor arrangements for our jawans, what kind of facilities must they be giving to the general public.
"…from 2014 until now, there have been 712 train accidents, in which 768 people have died. The government must understand that the Railways are the backbone of India's economy, not a means of revenue collection," he said.
Kumar said Railways is the backbone of India's infrastructure and not a means of earning profit. He said the food 'thali' in trains has now become Rs 120, which was Rs 30 in 2014. Besides, a charge of Rs 500 is being levied in station parking lots if cars are parked for more than 30 minutes.
The Congress leader also slammed the government for not adding sufficient general class coaches. He pointed to the February 2025 stampede at the New Delhi station, saying it happened as the Railways had only added 17 general class coaches, whose capacity was just 1,700.
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