Train derailments: Suresh Prabhu offers to resign, PM Modi asks him to wait
- Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari had demanded for Suresh Prabhu’s resignation
- Suresh Prabhu hinted at a resignation in a series of tweets
- Ashok Mittal, Railway Board chairman, tendered his resignation to the Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu
FollowIt has not been a good week for India nor for Indian Railways. In a span of four days two train derailments have taken place. In one 23 people were killed and in the most recent one over 70 passengers were injured.
We are talking about the Utkal Express derailment and the Kaifiyat Express derailment. As of today Ashok Mittal, Railway Board chairman, tendered his resignation to the Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu.
The opposition was quick to bay for Suresh Prabhu’s blood and Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari was quoted as demanding that "Prabhu should resign immediately if he has iota of morality left in him after today's incident which has left 74 more people injured. It is worst kind of tokenism asking the rail board chairman or any other official to step aside.”
During the course of the day, even Suresh Prabhu in a series of tweets mentioned that he was taking complete responsibility for these two accidents.
In less than three years as Minister, I have devoted my blood and sweat for the betterment of the Railways (1/5)
Undr leadership of PM, tried 2 overcome decades of neglect thru systemic reforms in all areas leading 2 unprecedented investment& milestones (2/5)
New India envisioned by PM deserves a Rlys which is efficient and modern. I promise that is the path, on which Rlys is progressing now (3/5)
I am extremely pained by the unfortunate accidents, injuries to passengers and loss of precious lives. It has caused me deep anguish (4/5)
I met the Hon'ble Prime Minister @narendramodi taking full moral responsibility. Hon’ble PM has asked me to wait. (5/5)
Many lauded the courage of the minister in taking responsibility and said that accountability was important. On Twitter there were varied reactions- some said he was the best railway minister India had seen for a long time and that he had turned around the fortune of the Indian railways. Babul Supriyo said such was the culture in the Modi government that people were willing to be held accountable.
Meanwhile, there is also news being circulated that Prime Minister Modi may accept his resignation and has asked him to ‘wait’ till the cabinet reshuffle happens.
