Safety and the security of passengers ignored: CM

Kolkata: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday said that the report of the CAG (Comptroller and Auditor General) had indicated that the safety and security of the passengers have been ignored and alleged that she had heard of attempts were being made to sell the railways to private hands. The report has hogged the limelight with nearly 300 deaths in the horrific train accident at Balasore last week.

Reacting to a poser about the CAG report pointing out the diversion of railway safety funds for ‘foot message’, she called it a big scandal.

“I have never seen the Railways in such a sorry state. The newly inaugurated Vande Bharat Express, you have seen have faced hiccups for minor reasons. Earlier there used to be a co-ordination committee for Railways whose board members were senior Cabinet secretaries. They used to coordinate with the Railways for ensuring safety. But now nothing of that sort exists. The prestige of the railways is presently at stake because of their negligent attitude,“ she maintained.

Reacting to allegations of illegal diversion of funds from the Building and Other Construction Workers’ Welfare Board’s (BOCWWB) by the state government for handing over compensation to the members of the deceased in the train accident by the BJP, Banerjee thundered: “The funds have been allocated from the Disaster Management department. Funds of the Labour department can also be used as the deaths involve migrant workers too. The funds given as compensation is state funds and they do not have the right to question the same. Such a big accident has occurred and so many lives are lost but they are trying to create a false narrative. BJP is a jumla party and they should be ashamed.”

She raised questions about the system of investigation and the promptness with which the probe of the accident has been handed over to CBI. There is a Safety Review Commission that holds a probe and submits a report. It takes time. But CBI was handed over the probe quickly to suppress the truth. CBI is the parrot of the Centre and acts at their behest. The Supreme Court and Gopal Krishna Gandhi (former Bengal Governor ) had said so. It is an attempt of hiding the truth. I want that the truth behind the accident should come out,“ Banerjee said.

She said that Bengal has had the highest number of deaths in the accident. 93 dead bodies have been received by the state government while another 36 are undergoing DNA tests. Many people are still missing, she added.