Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu‏ offers to quit over train accidents; PM Modi asks him to wait

Suresh Prabhu has offered to quit from his post of Railway Minister. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, however, “asked him to wait.”

File photo

New Delhi: Anguished and 'pained' over recent train accidents in Uttar Pradesh, Suresh Prabhu on Wednesday offered to quit from his post of Railway Minister. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, however, “asked him to wait.”

In a series of tweet, Prabhu wrote, “I am extremely pained by the unfortunate accidents, injuries to passengers and loss of precious lives. It has caused me deep anguish.

“I met the Hon'ble Prime Minister @narendramodi taking full moral responsibility. Hon’ble PM has asked me to wait.”

The statement comes after two incidents of train derailment in Uttar Pradesh within a short span of five days.

Prabhu offered to resign hours after 10 coaches and engine of the Delhi-bound Kaifiyat Express derailed in Auraiya district of Uttar Pradesh. As many as 74 passengers were injured in the train accident.

On the evening of August 19, at least 23 people were killed and over 40 others injured when 14 coaches of Puri-Haridwar-Kalinga Utkal Express derailed, with one of them crashing into a house adjacent to the track, in Khatauli in Uttar Pradesh's Muzaffarnagar district.

He further wrote, "In less than three years as Minister, I have devoted my blood and sweat for the betterment of the Railways. Under leadership of PM, tried two overcome decades of neglect thru systemic reforms in all areas leading 2 unprecedented investment & milestones. New India envisioned by PM deserves a Rlys which is efficient and modern. I promise that is the path, on which Rlys is progressing now."

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said, "Prime Minister will take a decision on whatever request the railway minister has made."