Deputy CM cannot blame Centre for Kavaraipettai train accident, says H. Raja

Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin cannot blame the Union government for the train accident near the Kavaraipettai Railway Station, when the Tamil Nadu government was unable to even organise an air show with adequate arrangements at the Marina Beach, senior BJP leader H. Raja said on Sunday.

Mr. Raja was responding to questions from journalists about Mr. Udhayanidhi’s remarks that the collision of the Mysuru-Darbhanga Bagmati Express with a goods train on Friday happened due to “the Union government’s carelessness”.

Mr. Raja said, “The allegation is baseless. Let’s debate the facts on how many rail accidents had taken place between 2004 and 2014 during the United Progressive Alliance regime, and 2014 and 2024 during the BJP rule...” He further said, “There was no mishap in the air show organised in Uttar Pradesh last time. However, five people died in the air show held at the Marina beach due to the inadequate arrangements made by the State government...”

To a question on former AIADMK Minister N. Thalavai Sundaram, who had recently flagged off an RSS rally in Kanniyakumari and was subsequently relieved from his party’s district secretary post by AIADMK leader Edappadi K. Palaniswami, Mr. Raja said: “Will Mr. Palaniswami explain his participation in a meeting organised by the SDPI, the political arm of the banned Popular Front of India, which is an ‘extremist religious outfit’?...”

Mr. Raja further pointed out that the RSS was known for rendering help during natural disasters and accidents.

Illegal sand mining

Separately, the Tamil Nadu BJP urged the State government to prevent illegal sand mining and ensure the livelihood of farmers who depended on groundwater for irrigating crops.

BJP Tamil Nadu spokesperson A.N.S. Prasad, in a statement, said the State government should constitute a Special Investigation Team to probe the allegations of illegal sand mining.

Published - October 14, 2024 12:31 am IST