'Hundreds dead, people will teach lesson': Mallikarjun Kharge warns BJP-led NDA on train accidents

Bengaluru (Karnakata) [India], July 21 : Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Sunday criticized the BJP-led NDA government for recent train accidents, saying that the government should address the issue or face public consequences.
He added that there are numerous vacancies in the railway department, and if crucial technical positions remain unfilled, the railway will weaken naturally.
"The train accidents are happening because the railway department has been weakened. There are lakhs of vacancies in the railway department... If important technical positions are not filled, then the railway will become weak naturally. The railway department has become so weak that accidents are happening one after another. The railway department is not getting money on time... When the railways were not merged in the Finance department, they used to function on their own and whenever they needed anything, they asked the central government for it... Hundreds of people have died, the government should think about this otherwise the people will teach them a lesson," Kharge told ANI.
Recently, several coaches of the Chandigarh-Dibrugarh Express derailed in Uttar Pradesh's Gonda, causing three deaths and leaving 30 injured. Additionally, a freight train derailed on the Mathura track early on Sunday.
Kharge also criticised the BJP-led NDA government for making the budget without consulting others and deciding things on their own.
"In this government, they consult no one. They do whatever they want to do. And then when the budget is presented, everyone comes to know which state got what and what the government gave to the people. BJP does not have the tradition of asking anyone about their thoughts," he told ANI.
Notably, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is scheduled to present Budget for 2024-25 in Lok Sabha on July 23.
The Congress Chief also accused the BJP-led NDA government of ignoring the opposition in Parliament, not letting them raise important issues to hide their failures.
He said, "This government always neglects the opposition and never gives them a chance to raise valid points. Suppose there are issues of public concern that the opposition wants to raise in Parliament or the Rajya Sabha. In that case, they are never given an opportunity because the government doesn't want people to know about their failures. That's why they don't allow it. Blaming the Speaker or the Chairman isn't right because they act according to the agenda set by the government. It's the government's pressure tactics that lead to actions like adjourning the house or cutting short debates."