New Delhi: Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal Sunday attacked the BJP government, alleging AC and sleeper train coaches are “worse” than general ones, and said those who cannot manage the railways cannot run the county.
Kejriwal’s attack through a series of tweets prompted a retort by the BJP, which tried to corner him over the condition of the Delhi Transport Corporation buses.
The AAP national convener retweeted several posts complaining about air-conditioned and sleeper coaches being overcrowded by people not having reserved tickets.
“They destroyed the fleet of the well-running railways. Today, even if you take a reservation of an AC coach, you will not get a seat to sit in or sleep. AC and sleeper coaches are worse than general coaches. They do not know how to run the government. They don’t understand at all. Illiterate government. They are ruining every sector,” Kejriwal said in a tweet in Hindi.
In another tweet, he said, “Those who cannot manage trains, how will they run the country?”
Quote-tagging his tweet, the Delhi BJP shared visuals of DTC buses that caught fire. “First handle DTC, Kejriwal!” it wrote.
“The one who cannot run DTC, how will he run Delhi? The cunning person has destroyed Delhi’s transport system. He could not bring a new bus while more than half of the buses have become old. He is giving wisdom!” it said.
Later in the day, addressing a press conference, AAP senior leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh attacked the BJP government, and raised concerns over the lack of seat availability and “deteriorating” passenger facilities.
“Previously, the railway budget was presented separately, accompanied by the planned launch of new trains. There were concessions in travel for senior citizens, which have now been abolished by the BJP government. While Gautam Adani and other capitalists enjoy benefits worth crores, basic facilities for the elderly are quietly removed, leaving them more vulnerable,” he alleged.
The senior leader further claimed that despite purchasing tickets, passengers are left without seats and “forced to travel like animals”.
“Reservations are unavailable, trains are scarce, and frustrating delays increase. When accidents occur, the BJP government conveniently orchestrates a CBI inquiry to cover up their negligence. Let’s not forget the tragic Balasore triple train accident was preceded by a chief engineer’s warning three months in advance — i.e. on February 9, 2023, of a potential catastrophe if the electronic interlocking system wasn’t fixed,” he claimed.
Alleging that the report was ignored, he said it resulted in the loss of nearly 300 lives.
Every passing day, the number of accidents and train derailments increases, as the railway system falls into a state of disrepair, he said.
“It seems the destruction of the railways is being carried out with deliberate intent. Passenger facilities are either insufficient or deteriorating rapidly. It is a grave situation characterised by a series of unfortunate events,” he said.
Echoing similar views, AAP chief spokesperson Priyanka Kakkar accused the BJP of “ruining” the railways.