How many more families must be destroyed before govt wakes up: Rahul after TN rail accident
New Delhi (PTI): Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Saturday attacked the Centre over the train accident in Tamil Nadu, saying no lessons have been learnt despite many lives lost in numerous accidents and asked how many more families must be destroyed before the government wakes up.
Gandhi asserted that accountability starts at the top.
An express train, at 75 kmph speed, hit a stationary goods train on Friday in Tamil Nadu as it entered a loop line instead of getting into the main line, railway officials said, adding that a number of passengers were injured and a coach caught fire.
In a post on X, Gandhi said, "The Mysuru-Darbhanga train accident mirrors the horrific Balasore accident–a passenger train colliding with a stationary goods train."
"Despite many lives lost in numerous accidents, no lessons are learned. Accountability starts at the top. How many more families must be destroyed before this government wakes up," the former Congress chief said.
Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also slammed the Centre over the train accident.
"Train accidents have become so common in the country that despite occurring one after another, neither any accountability is being fixed by the government nor any action is being taken," she said in a post in Hindi on her WhatsApp channel.
"Crores of common people of the country are forced to travel in trains running on the wheels of fear and chaos, risking their lives because the government has turned its back on the responsibility of safe train travel," she said.
Once again, an accident like Balasore has happened with the Mysore-Darbhanga Express in Tamil Nadu, Priyanka Gandhi said.
"When will this series going on for months stop? When will accountability be fixed," she asked.
Meanwhile, the Railway Board has said that no casualty has been reported so far in the passenger-freight train collision in the Ponneri-Kavarapettai section in Chennai Rail Division.
Dilip Kumar, Executive Director, Information and Publicity of the Railway Board, released a video message soon after the accident saying, "We received information of collision of the Bagmati Express with a freight train at the Kavarapettai station in the Chennai Division. Rescue and relief team reached the accident site immediately."
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Sujit Nair raises concerns over speculation of DMK-AIADMK understanding to block TVK
Chennai: Journalist and political commentator Sujit Nair has expressed concern over speculation that the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam could explore a post-poll understanding to prevent Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam from forming the government in Tamil Nadu.
In a social media post, Sujit Nair said the election verdict in Tamil Nadu reflected a clear public demand for political change and argued that the mandate should be respected irrespective of political preferences.
Referring to reports and political discussions surrounding a possible understanding between the DMK and AIADMK, he said he hoped such developments remained only speculative conversations and did not turn into reality.
Nair stated that if such an alliance were to take shape, it would raise serious questions about ideological politics in the country. He said TVK had emerged through a democratic electoral process and that the legitimacy to govern in a parliamentary democracy comes from the people’s verdict.
According to him, attempts to prevent an electoral winner from forming the government through unexpected political arrangements may be constitutionally valid, but many people could view them as politically opportunistic.
He further said that such a move could particularly affect the political image of the DMK, which has historically projected itself around ideology, social justice and opposition politics. Nair said that in ideological terms, the DMK appeared closer to TVK than to the AIADMK, and joining hands with its long-time political rival only to remain in power could weaken its broader political narrative.
He added that the same questions would apply to the AIADMK as well, as the party had spent decades positioning itself against the DMK and such an arrangement could create discomfort among its cadre and supporters.
Drawing a comparison with Maharashtra politics in 2019, Nair said he had expressed similar views when the Shiv Sena formed an alliance with the Indian National Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party after the Assembly elections.
He said post-poll alliances between long-standing political rivals often create a public perception that ideology and electoral mandates become secondary when political power equations come into play.
Nair also said such developments increase public cynicism towards politics and reinforce the belief among voters that ideology is often sidelined after elections.
He maintained that the Tamil Nadu verdict was emphatic and said respecting both the spirit and substance of the mandate was important for the credibility of democratic politics.
