Why doesn’t BJP minister resign over rail accident, asks Selvaperunthagai

Tamil Nadu Congress Committee chairman K. Selvaperunthagai criticised the BJP-led NDA government over the recent train accident in West Bengal and asked why Union Minister for Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw did not resign.

Addressing the media at Sathyamurthy Bhavan, Mr. Selvaperunthagai said that the Congress party had previously taken responsibility for such incidents while BJP ministers were showing their greed for power. “Earlier, there was a similar incident involving the Coromandel Express in which 288 people died. The Railway Minister called it an ‘accident’. Congress Minister (Lal Bahadur) Shastri resigned when the Ariyalur train accident occurred. Mamata Banerjee and Nitish Kumar also resigned as Railway Ministers taking responsibility for such incidents. Why is the BJP minister not resigning?” he asked.

Mr. Selvaperunthagai also criticised the comments of Minister of State for Water Resources V. Somanna on the Mekedatu dam issue and said that without the consent of Tamil Nadu, “not a single brick” could be laid.

Mr. Selvaperunthagai alleged that the AIADMK had “received orders from somewhere not to contest the Vikravandi election” and it was possible that the party was secretly helping the PMK-BJP candidate.

Su. Thirunavukkarasar, KV Thangkabalu and KS Alagiri are among the Congress leaders appointed to the election committee for the Vikravandi by-election.