Lambasting the Opposition, Union Minister for Railways, Ashwini Vaishnaw on Thursday said only 4 lakh 11 thousand employees were recruited in railways whereas from 2014 to 2024 — in 10 years of NDA's, this tally goes up to 5 lakh 2 thousand. He even targeted the Opposition for creating an 'environment of fear' for daily 2 crore railway commuters. Accusing the government of "destroying" Indian Railways, the Congress demanded Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw's resignation in the wake of the Kanchanjunga Express accident, saying he has no moral right to remain in the position.
The opposition party had also taken a swipe at Vaishnaw for reaching the accident site riding pillion on a motorcycle, asking whether he is a rail minister or a "reel minister". The Congress alleged that "criminal negligence" perpetrated by Modi government had "doomed the Railways".
"If we talk about recruitment in railways - from 2004 to 2014 during UPA's tenure, only 4 lakh 11 thousand employees were recruited in railways whereas from 2014 to 2024 - in 10 years of NDA's, this tally goes up to 5 lakh 2 thousand... What has been in demand for years - to have an annual calendar for railway recruitment, we have declared it in January 2024. For the youths who try hard to get into railways, now vacancies for the same come 4 times in a year - in January, April, July and October. Even now, 40,565 vacancies are advertised that are to be filled..," he said.
