Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Sunday questioned the sincerity of the Centre regarding the maintenance of the vast railway network in the country accusing the government of 'mismanagement'.
"Those who (BJP led Central govt) can change history, can change any number. Instead of standing with people, they're abusing me, Nitishji, Laluji...How did a fire break out in a running train in Godhra (in 2002)?... So many people died, they should have at least sought an apology," Mamata Banerjee said. Interacting with media in Kolkata, Banerjee also pointed out that utter chaos prevailed over tracing the cause of the accident and two different versions emerged from the railway board and Union Railway Minister Aswini Vaishnaw.
Interacting with media in Kolkata, Banerjee pointed out that utter chaos prevailed over tracing the cause of the accident and two different versions emerged from railway board and Union Railway Minister Aswini Vaishnaw.
"Those who are managing the railway network are coming up with with contradictory statements, which show their lack of preparedness to deal with the tragedy of such a large scale. The government has caught off guard and its obvious. I did not make a hue and cry over it yet," Banerjee tol reporters.
Banerjee slammed the Railway Ministry to discard the mechanism put in place by her when she helmed the ministry. "Where is the anti-collision device now? I emphasised right from the beginning that you need such a system to put in place a well-devised safety net, but all my suggestions have fallen on deaf ears," she said. Mamata Banerjee, however, said she is not demanding the resignation of the Railway Minister Aswini Vaishnaw.
Banerjee said 62 people from West Bengal died in this accident and 206 people are being treated in the state. As many as 73 people from the state are admitted to various hospitals in Odisha, she added. "While 56 people from West Bengal have been discharged from the hospitals in Odisha. 182 people are yet to be identified," West Bengal Chief Minister said.
