Political Row Erupts Over Mumbai Local Train Tragedy: 'Rail Mantri Has Become Reel Mantri'

(MENAFN- Live Mint) A political row erupted over the Mumbra train mishap that led to the falling of eight passengers from a crowded local trains on Monday. Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray came down heavily on Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw amid chaos over the death of four passengers in the incident, and labelled him as "reel mantri".

Aaditya Thackeray said the Mumbra railway mishap was the responsibility of the railway department and the minister. However, Thackeray added that the minister was busy making reels instead of taking responsibility.

Also Read | Mumbra train tragedy: 8 fall off overcrowded Mumbai locals, several feared dead

"Rail mantri has become a 'reel mantri'. There have been multiple terrible train accidents in the last two to three years, but no one is coming forward to claim any responsibility. This is solely the responsibility of the railway department and the railway minister. Sadly, he is busy making funny speeches in comic voices and reels but not coming forward to take responsibility," Thackeray said.

Thackeray also said that despite people demanding his resignation on multiple occasions, he carried on with his post. "People of India have demanded his resignation multiple times, but he has no shame. He carries on," Thackeray, Shiv Sena UBT MLA from Worli, told reporters in Mumbai.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief, Raj Thackeray criticised the Mahayuti-led state government of only focusing on elections instead of real issues of the people.

"The train accident that happened in Mumbai today is unfortunate. Many passengers died in this accident, but similar incidents are happening in Mumbai every day. Passengers are getting injured in Mumbai every day and yet no one is doing anything to help," the MNS chief said during a press conference on Monday.

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"Our entire focus is only on the elections and campaigning. Will Raj Thackeray-Uddhav Thackeray form an alliance? More important than this question are how travel is going in Mumbai today, how people are living in the cities and in the state as a whole," he added.

Mumbra train accident

As many as 13 people were injured after they fell from an excessively crowded train at Mumbra railway station in Thane district, Maharashtra, on Monday. Four people died in the incident, a Railways official said on Monday.

According to officials, the incident happened when passengers travelling on the footboard on a local train from Kasara and similarly those on a train going towards CSMT, collided with each other and fell.

Also Read | Mumbra train tragedy: Ashwini Vaishnaw meets Railway Board officials, ICF team

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said on Monday that he had spoken to Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw about the Mumbra train accident. He said that steps would be taken to prevent such accidents in the future.

"I am confident that the injured will recover... I have spoken to our Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw... Work is being done to ensure that such an accident does not happen again... Certainly, the Railways is taking this accident very seriously," Shinde said.

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