'Soon, no one killed 288+ people': Politics over Odisha train crash amid ‘sabotage’ theory
Soon, Odisha triple train clash will be touted as ‘an act of god’, opposition upped the ante demanding Ashwini Vaishnaw's resignation.
As opposition leaders demanded the resignation of rail minister Ashwini Vaishnaw in the aftermath of the triple train crash in Odisha's Balasore which killed 288 people and injured over 900 -- citing the example of Lal Bahadur Shashtri and Nitish Kumar, a fresh political row started over what caused the triple train collision. Railway minister Ashwini Vaishanaw, who at the accident site was countered by West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, said it was no time for politics. As the investigation is on, several theories, including that of sabotage, have surfaced. Read | Odisha tragedy: Balasore hospitals crumble under a deluge of patients
Amid possible reasons including signal failure, technical glitch, and human error believed to be behind the crash involving Coromandel Express, Bengaluru- Howrah Superfast Express, and a goods train, Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi said it would soon become 'an act of god' in a reference to an argument made in Gujarat's Morbi bridge collapse. Read | Kavach was not available on Coromandel route, says railways; 'Why,' asks TMC
"As a minister he should not step down as he is much needed in this hour of crisis, by the same logic, no senior railway babu handling this region should step down as their input is critical. If we continue citing continuity as an argument only junior level employees will be punished to show accountability. Coming soon, no one killed 288+ people, it was an act of god," Priyanka Chaturvedi said.
Trinamool spokesperson Saket Gokhale asked why the country does not have a full-time railway minister and why Ashwini Vaishnaw holds the charge of two other ministries.
Ashwini Vaishnaw versus Mamata Banerjee
As railway minister Aswhini Vaishnaw and West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee were at the crash site at the same time on Saturday, an altercation between them was caught on the camera where Mamata was heard saying the toll could be 500 which Vaishnaw refuted and said the restoration was already complete and the toll was 238.
'Sabotage' can't be ruled out: Dinesh Trivedi
Former railway minister Dinesh Trivedi said the sabotage angle can't be ruled out behind the massive tragedy. “In the Jneneswari incident 2010, the report found it was a case of sabotage. If this train actually went to the loop line, then there has to be some kind of an electronic thing because the loco pilot does not have a steering where he can go anywhere. And some kind of electronic lock system is there. So somebody must have done this on purpose,” Dinesh Trivedi said. "I am not jumping into any conclusion as we can't until the report comes. But this is very strange. How could the train go to the loop line?" Dinesh Trivedi said.
What led to Odisha's triple train crash?
According to the preliminary findings, the Coromandel Express went to the loop line and crashed into the goods train.
A signal was given to Coromandel Express to enter the main line but it was taken off.
The Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express was coming at a high speed and rammed into the coaches of the Coromandel which already derailed and hit the goods train.