'Reel minister': Aaditya Thackeray jabs Ashwini Vaishnaw after Bandra stampede
A stampede at Mumbai's Bandra terminus on Sunday morning left nine injured, two of them critically. The stampede broke out as passengers jostled to board the Gorakhpur-bound Antyodaya Express train. Officials have blamed the festive rush ahead of Diwali for the stampede, as nearly 1,500 people were present on the platform at the time. After the incident, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray slammed Union Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, calling him "incapable."
Thackeray criticizes Railways Minister following stampede
Thackeray lamented the frequent railway mishaps and said, "Wish the reel minister was a rail minister for once. The incident at Bandra only reflects how incapable the current Railways Minister is." In his post on X, he wrote that it's such a shame that our country has been forced under "such incapable ministers." Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut also slammed Vaishnaw for prioritizing the bullet train project while ignoring Mumbai's railway infrastructure.
Raut questions government's focus on bullet trains
Raut highlighted Mumbai's major contribution to national revenue and questioned why there were no facilities for passengers. He said, "Mumbai city gives maximum revenue to the Union government. Compared to it, we hardly get any facilities here for passengers." Raut further emphasized that since the present Union government came to power, there have been at least 25 major railway accidents.
Railways spokesperson's statement
According to officials, of the nine people who were injured, two suffered critical injuries. "The train's scheduled departure was 5.15 am. Around 2.44 am, the train was being brought from the yard to the platform. Before the train stopped, some passengers tried to board it. Two people were injured and the Railways arranged an ambulance and rushed them to KB Bhabha Hospital. They are under treatment," a Railways spokesperson said.
