Opposition tears into Cong, alleges ‘mismanagement’

PK Jaiswar

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, October 20

Opposition leaders on Saturday trained guns at Local Bodies Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu and his wife Dr Navjot Kaur Sidhu, holding them responsible for the train accident that took lives of 61 persons, including women and children, besides leaving scores of persons injured.

SAD president and former deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal termed the tragic rail accident a ‘massacre and intentional murder’ and demanded a fresh FIR registered on the statements of the victims. Addressing mediapersons after visiting the spot at Jora Fatak after meeting injured at Guru Nanak Dev Hospital, he said the organisers should be booked and put behind bars. He said the Government Railway Police (GRP) had booked four unidentified persons and this showcased the seriousness of the Punjab government.

“A senior minister and his family is involved. A Dasehra committee, considered close to them, is involved. People are blaming Navjot Sidhu and his wife for the incident. The Punjab government should expel him from the Cabinet and register an FIR in this connection,” he said.

When asked whether he held the Punjab government or the Railways responsible for the tragedy, he said it was the state government elected by the people. The government should have informed the railway authorities about celebrating Dasehra at Dhobi Ghat near the main Amritsar-Delhi railway line, he said. He also demanded Rs 1 crore as compensation and government job for the kin.

Former Cabinet minister Bikram Singh Majithia said, “Navjot Kaur Sidhu is telling a lie. A number of videos of the event shows that she was present on the stage at the time of the mishpa. Instead of helping the victims, she left the scene four minutes after the tragedy.”

Earlier, BJP MP Shwait Malik and national secretary Tarun Chugh also accused the state government of being lax in its approach. When there was no permission from any authority, how they managed to organise the function? they asked.

MLA Raj Kumar Verka said the CM had announced magisterial probe into the incident. New guidelines would be formed for holding religious functions, he said. “Action will be taken against whosoever responsible for the tragedy,” he said.

He said there was a lack of coordination among the administration, the police and the Railways, which resulted in the mishap.

AAP leaders, led by Leader of Opposition Harpal Singh Cheema, expressed solidarity with the families of the victims. Cheema was accompanied by MLAs Sarabjit Kaur Manuke, Aman Arora, Amarjit Singh Sandhwan, Gurmeet Singh Meet, Baljinder Kaur and local leaders. “It is a result of negligence of the government. The rescue work pace was slow. The compensation of Rs 5 lakh is meagre. Victims’ kin should get Rs 1 crore each and government jobs,” he said.

CPI national executive member Hardev Arshi and state secretary Bant Singh Brar also met victims. They also sought government job and Rs 50 lakh as compensation for the victims’ kin.