Yet another rail accident but 'PR machine of Fail Minister' continues: Congress

The Congress on Tuesday, 30 July, took a swipe at railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw after the train derailment in Jharkhand, saying since June the "Fail Minister" has "overseen three accidents" that have cumulatively cost 17 lives but there is "no accountability" in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's new India.

Two persons were killed and 20 others injured as at least 18 coaches of the Howrah-Mumbai Mail derailed in Jharkhand's Seraikela-Kharsawan district early on Tuesday, officials said.

Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said in a post on X, "Yet another railway accident. But the PR machine of the 'Fail Minister' continues."

"In June and July 2024 alone, the 'Fail Minister' has overseen three accidents that have cumulatively cost 17 Indians their lives and left 100s injured," he said, hitting out at Vaishnaw.

Congress' media and publicity department head Pawan Khera said, "Train Accidents: A Weekly Reality in Modi's New India."

"18 July: Train accident in Gonda, UP: Chandigarh-Dibrugarh Express: 4 killed, 31 injured. 19 July: Goods train derailed in Valsad, Gujarat. 20 July: 12 wagons of a freight train derailed in Amroha, UP. 21 July: 3 wagons of a goods train derailed in Alwar, Rajasthan. 21 July: Goods train derailed in Ranaghat, West Bengal. 26 July: Goods train derailed at Bhubaneswar Railway Station, Orissa. 29 July: Bihar Sampark Kranti Express detached from other coaches in Samastipur, Bihar. 30 July: Several coaches of the Howrah-CSMT Express train derailed in Chakradharpur, Jharkhand: 2 killed, 20 injured," he said.

In the usual aftermath, Vaishnaw would visit the site with his PR team by evening and will upload a reel by tomorrow, Khera said, taking a dig at the railway minister.

"In Modi's new India, there is no accountability, no resignations, only grandiose talks about irrelevant rail projects that no one uses," he said.

"Two persons were killed and 20 injured as 18 coaches of Howrah-Mumbai Mail derailed near Barabamboo. Rescue operations are on and an NDRF team is rushing to the spot," West Singhbhum deputy commissioner Kuldeep Chaudhary, who is camping at the accident site, told PTI.

He claimed that the Howrah-Mumbai train hit a stationary goods train.

The accident site is near the border between West Singhbhum and Seraikela-Kharsawan districts.

Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren directed officials concerned to expedite relief operations and help the injured people.