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Amritsar train accident triggers political slugfest

The rail tragedy that claimed 61 lives and left many injured during Dussehra festivities in Amritsar on Friday has turned into a political minefield.

Opposition Akali Dal-BJP leaders on Saturday trained their guns on Punjab local government minister Navjot Singh Sidhu, saying his wife, Navjot Kaur, who was chief guest at the function, “fled the scene” after the accident. They also claimed the organiser Mithu Madan, son of councillor Vijay Madan, a Sidhu loyalist, overlooked security concerns and did not inform local Railway employees about the event, a claim denied by Sidhu loyalists.

Union finance minister Arun Jaitley said initial reports suggested it was an avoidable tragedy. Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Badal demanded the minister’s resignation. Sidhu’s arch rival, Akali leader Bikram Majithia, also demanded that Sidhu be booked. “I demand immediate registration of case against people present on the stage, including Sidhu’s wife and arrest of those who gave permission for holding function near the rail track,” Majithia said.

Sidhu, who accompanied chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh to visit victims in hospitals, refused to react to demands for his resignation. “It is not the time to indulge in political blame game…,” he said. Both SAD-BJP and Sidhu loyalists posted videos making claims and counter-claims over what happened.

Read | ‘Amritsar tragedy was due to trespassing, not railways fault; no action against driver’

Punjab BJP spokesman Rajesh Honey, who contested against Sidhu from the Amritsar East seat in last year’s state polls, posted videos of anchor Bawa Ludhianawale telling the crowd from stage in presence of Kaur that “5000 people are standing on rail tracks. They aren’t worried…500 trains pass from there.”

Honey said Kaur “fled the ground” after the train mowed down people. “Had she reached the function on time, the effigy would have been burnt before 7pm and the tragedy could have been averted,” he said.

Denying the allegation Kaur said: “When the event anchor said 5000 people are standing on rail tracks, I asked the organisers if they had made an announcement to warn them. I had ended my speech and left while the Ravan effigy was burning. I had to attend two more functions and got to know about the accident 15 minutes after I had left.”

Sidhu loyalists also circulated permissions taken from police and civil administration on social media and videos of the speeding train and asked how the train driver has been given a clean chit without a probe.

Bawa said there was a time lag of half-an-hour between the two videos. “We warned them before the chief guest came…,” he said. The warning was also issued after Kaur arrived.

First Published: Oct 20, 2018 23:38 IST

Source: HindustanTimes