In a controversial statement, former railway minister and Bengal BJP leader Dinesh Trivedi claimed that the tragic train accident in Balasore, Odisha, was not a mere accident but the result of a meticulously planned conspiracy. However, his allegations faced strong criticism from the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Congress, with both parties questioning his motives and accusing him of trying to impress his party’s high command to retain his government bungalow in Delhi. TMC spokesperson Saket Gokhale highlighted that the BJP had allowed Trivedi to occupy a bungalow designated for serving MPs by appointing him to the “Digitization of Parliamentary Library” committee, of which he is the sole member.
Dinesh Trivedi, who briefly held the position of railway minister in 2011-12 after Mamata Banerjee became the Chief Minister of West Bengal, alleged manipulation in the interlocking system, which resulted in the tragic train accident claiming the lives of at least 275 people and injuring numerous others. Trivedi argued that the fail-safe mechanism, which should have been activated when the interlocking system malfunctioned, failed to prevent the accident as all signals on the specific track turned red.
Bengal BJP Leader Alleges Train Accident Conspiracy as TMC and Congress Counter: Accuse Him of Self-serving Motives
Expressing his certainty about a deliberate act of sabotage, Trivedi stated, “To me, it seems like extensive planning and calculation leading to such incidents happening one after another in a matter of a few seconds.”
While not directly naming Trivedi, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh, who is in charge of communications, criticized him on Twitter. Ramesh pointed out Trivedi’s defection to the BJP after serving as a Railway Minister for seven months and suggested that his theories about the Odisha accident were baseless. Ramesh further alleged that Trivedi was attempting to impress the BJP leadership in order to retain his Lutyens Delhi bungalow, which he had not vacated despite no longer being an MP for the past 18 months.
In response to Ramesh’s comments, TMC spokesperson Saket Gokhale concurred with the Congress leader and accused the BJP of allowing Trivedi to occupy a Lutyens bungalow by appointing him to the “Digitization of Parliamentary Library” committee. Gokhale highlighted the irony that Trivedi was the only member of the committee, emphasizing that these bungalows were intended solely for serving MPs. Gokhale further criticized the BJP for granting these bungalows to individuals unrelated to parliamentary duties, including party workers as “MP’s guest accommodation,” as a gesture of loyalty to the party leadership.
The exchange between Trivedi, TMC, and Congress underscores the deep political divisions and differing narratives surrounding the train accident in Balasore. While Trivedi stands firm in his conviction of a deliberate conspiracy, TMC and Congress dismiss his claims as politically motivated and self-serving. As the investigations into the accident continue, it remains to be seen whether any conclusive evidence will support or refute the allegations made by Trivedi.
The former railway minister and current Bengal BJP leader, Dinesh Trivedi, sparked controversy when he claimed that the tragic train accident in Balasore, Odisha, was not a mere accident but a result of a meticulously planned conspiracy. However, his assertions were met with strong opposition from the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Congress, both questioning his motives and accusing him of trying to curry favor with his party’s high command to retain his government bungalow in Delhi. Saket Gokhale, TMC spokesperson, emphasized that Trivedi’s occupation of a bungalow designated for serving MPs was facilitated by the BJP’s appointment of him as the sole member of the “Digitization of Parliamentary Library” committee.
Explosive Conspiracy Allegation Shakes TMC and Congress: Accuse BJP of Allowing Former Rail Minister to… (Negative sentiment)
Dinesh Trivedi, who briefly held the position of railway minister from 2011 to 2012 after Mamata Banerjee became the Chief Minister of West Bengal, alleged that manipulation in the interlocking system led to the tragic train accident, resulting in the loss of at least 275 lives and causing numerous injuries. Trivedi argued that the fail-safe mechanism, designed to activate when the interlocking system malfunctions, failed to prevent the accident as all signals on the specific track turned red.
Expressing his conviction of a deliberate act of sabotage, Trivedi stated, “To me, it seems like extensive planning and calculation leading to such incidents happening one after another in a matter of a few seconds.”
Although not explicitly mentioning Trivedi, Jairam Ramesh, Congress leader in charge of communications, criticized him on social media platform Twitter. Ramesh pointed out Trivedi’s defection to the BJP after serving as a railway minister for seven months and insinuated that his theories about the Odisha accident lacked substance. Ramesh further alleged that Trivedi was attempting to impress the BJP leadership to retain his Lutyens Delhi bungalow, which he had not vacated despite not being an MP for the past 18 months.
Responding to Ramesh’s comments, TMC spokesperson Saket Gokhale echoed the sentiments expressed by the Congress leader and accused the BJP of enabling Trivedi’s occupation of a Lutyens bungalow through his appointment to the “Digitization of Parliamentary Library” committee. Gokhale highlighted the irony that Trivedi was the sole member of the committee, emphasizing that these bungalows were exclusively intended for serving MPs. Gokhale further criticized the BJP for granting these accommodations to individuals unassociated with parliamentary duties, including party workers as “MP’s guest accommodation,” as a means of demonstrating loyalty to the party leadership.
