Hours after the stampede at Bandra Terminus that left nine people injured, Opposition Leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday targeted the Center over what he called the “crumbling infrastructure” in the country. He said inaugurations and publicity are only good if there is a foundation behind them that is actually committed to serving the public.
“If people lose their lives and bridges, platforms or statues start collapsing after the ribbon cutting, due to lack of maintenance and neglect of public property, it is a matter of serious concern,” he said in a tweet in the Hindi.
“The recent stampede at Mumbai’s Bandra Terminus station is the latest example of India’s crumbling infrastructure,” he said, adding that the Balasore train accident in June last year claimed the lives of 300 people, but instead of the To compensate victims, the BJP government had embroiled them in a long legal battle.
उद्घाटन प्रचार तभी अच्छे हैं जब उनके पीछे पीछे ऐसी बुनिय बुनियाद हो जो जनता की सेवा के के असल में करे। करे। करे। करे। करे। करे। करे। करे। करे। करे। करे। करे। करे। करे। करे। करे। करे। करे। करे। करे। करे। करे। करे। करे। जब सार्वजनिक के के के के रखाव रखाव के अभाव और उपेक्षा के कारण कारण लोगों की ज ज जान जाने लगे औ औ औ औ औ औ औ पुलर पुलर पुल या या क क क गंभी गंभी गंभी ok गंभी ok गंभी ok गंभी ok गंभी ok गंभी ok गंभी ok From Jeats
Yes… pic.twitter.com/CTrotNFOvI
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) October 27, 2024
Gandhi also referred to the collapse of the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in Sindhudurg in Maharashtra. The statue was not unveiled until December 2023. “Just think, if even the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj falls in just nine months, it clearly means that the intention was just publicity – there was no respect for Shivaji Maharaj in this, and there was none.” The safety of the public is being taken into account,” he said.
The former Congress president said the country needs international-class infrastructure that also takes into account the local needs of the poor — “that makes business easier, travel easier and keeps people safe.” “India is capable and competent – we just need an effective and transparent system focused on public service delivery and aimed at laying the foundation for a strong future for the country.”
Earlier today, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut targeted Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw over the stampede, claiming he was too busy with the bullet train project while passengers in Mumbai were being ignored. “The railway minister is too involved in the bullet train project and people are dying due to poor infrastructure because the railway minister is not connected to their problems,” he said while talking to reporters.
Meanwhile, the Central Railway has imposed a temporary restriction on the sale of platform tickets at major stations to reduce festival crowds. The move comes after nine people were injured at the Bandra Terminus while trying to board a train bound for Gorakhapur in Uttar Pradesh. They were injured at 2.45 am while trying to board the unreserved Bandra Terminus-Gorakhpur Antyodaya Express as it entered platform number 1 from the yard before its scheduled departure at 5.10 am.