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The Hindu
The Hindu
National
K. Umashanker

Centre downplaying Odisha train accident deaths, says A.P. Congress leader Chinta Mohan

Blaming the Narendra Modi government for the ghastly train accident in Odisha, senior Congress leader Chinta Mohan has alleged that the government was under reporting the death toll and claimed that more than 500 people died in the train crash.

Speaking to the media at Puthalapattu near Chittoor on June 4, Mr. Mohan demanded that Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw take moral responsibility for the accident and quit.

“More than 80% of the passengers who died in the accident were migrant workers travelling in overcrowded general compartments. Unchecked privatisation of crucial departments in the Railways and non-filling up of over one lakh vacant posts in the Safety and Signalling Departments has contributed to the tragedy,” he said.

He demanded the Centre speed up the restoration works and did justice to the kin of the deceased.

On Naidu meeting Amit Shah

Referring to Telugu Desam Party (TDP) national president N. Chandrababu Naidu’s visit to New Delhi and holding parleys with Home Minister Amit Shah and other BJP leaders, Chinta Mohan said that Mr. Naidu had exposed himself as a powermonger with no political ethics.

“TDP, YSR Congress, and Jana Sena Party are all pawns in the hands of the BJP and would bring no justice to the people of Andhra Pradesh. After the Karnataka elections, the Congress is all set to post major gains in Andhra Pradesh in 2024 elections,” he said.

He said that after trifurcation, the Chittoor district had slipped into backwardness with no university or railway junction, or a major industry established there. “Unemployment is mounting, while the rural poor are forced to migrate to other States for livelihood. Educational standards in the schools and colleges have gone down,” he said.

Earlier, Chinta Mohan visited the SC colonies in Puthalapattu, Gangadhara Nellore, and Irala mandals in the district and interacted with the people.

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