Kolkata: The CPI-M on Friday demanded that
the Centre and particularly the Railway Ministry own up
responsibility for the `security lapse` that led to derailment
of the Kurla-bound Gyneswari Express but Railway Minister
Mamata Banerjee said law and order is a state subject.
"Safety and security have been neglected in the
running of trains. Who will take the responsibility? The
Centre and the Railway Ministry should own up responsibility
for the serious lapse," CPI-M state secretary and Politburo
member Biman Bose told reporters here.
Banerjee said the Home Ministry must investigate the
matter and book the culprits for the derailment that left at
least 76 people dead and over 200 injured.
"Law and order is a state subject. The state
government and the Home Ministry should look into it," she
said.
Hitting back, Bose said safety and security drills are
not followed by the Railways and reports indicated that no
pilot train plied before the express train passed through the
area.
Charging the Maoists and its wing PCPA with committing
the dastardly act, Bose said that two posters were found in
the mishap site, making it clear that they were behind it.
In an apparent reference to the Trinamool chief, he
said that no minister in the UPA cabinet should try to
underestimate the threat posed by Maoists.
"She (Banerjee) said the incident was a pre-planned
conspiracy. This kind of utterances should not be made at this
time. We did not want to join issue with them," he said.
-PTI
