Union minister Hardeep Puri slams Congress for ‘politicising’ Odisha tragedy
Addressing a press conference here to list achievements of the Modi government in the last nine years since 2014, Union minister Hardeep Puri said, “I belong to a school of thought where one life lost is too many lives lost. The fact of the matter is that an accident has taken place. With the best will in the world and all safety precautions in place, something can go wrong and that is part of human existence.”
Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri yet again slammed the arch-rival Congress on Tuesday saying, “it took NSG more than 10 hours to respond to 26/11 terror attacks, but Odisha train accident site was restored within 51 hours”.
Congress on Sunday demanded resignation of railways minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for painting a rosy picture at the expense of critical infrastructure of the India railways.
The BJP government has ordered a CBI probe into the Balasore train accident.
Addressing a press conference here to list achievements of the Modi government in the last nine years since 2014, Puri said, “I belong to a school of thought where one life lost is too many lives lost. The fact of the matter is that an accident has taken place. With the best will in the world and all safety precautions in place, something can go wrong and that is part of human existence.”
“However, within minutes, rescue teams reached there. The PM was there and so were three ministers. Railways minister Vaishnaw remained there for 36 hours. We did everything possible, and we ensured that every injured got an attendant. And, in 51 hours the rails lines were made operational,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}“However, within minutes, rescue teams reached there. The PM was there and so were three ministers. Railways minister Vaishnaw remained there for 36 hours. We did everything possible, and we ensured that every injured got an attendant. And, in 51 hours the rails lines were made operational,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}Puri said opposition parties wanted to make it a political point.
{{/usCountry}}Puri said opposition parties wanted to make it a political point.
{{/usCountry}}“It was not the first rail accident. During their tenures (Congress regimes) many rail accidents happened and many lives lost. When the 26/11 attack was being played out on TV screens, it took 10 hours for the NSG to reach there (Mumbai from Delhi),” he said.
{{/usCountry}}“It was not the first rail accident. During their tenures (Congress regimes) many rail accidents happened and many lives lost. When the 26/11 attack was being played out on TV screens, it took 10 hours for the NSG to reach there (Mumbai from Delhi),” he said.
{{/usCountry}}On fuel prices, he said, “from 2004 to 2014 UPA government did a ‘novel’ thing by floating oil bonds of ₹1.41 lakh crore, for which I had to return ₹3.50 lakh crore. It was criminal act on their part.”
{{/usCountry}}On fuel prices, he said, “from 2004 to 2014 UPA government did a ‘novel’ thing by floating oil bonds of ₹1.41 lakh crore, for which I had to return ₹3.50 lakh crore. It was criminal act on their part.”
{{/usCountry}}“The oil bonds issued by UPA government remains to be repaid. It was like a grandfather kept debts to be repaid by his grandchildren,” he added.
He, however, maintained that compared globally, India had the lowest diesel and petrol prices.
He also said that though BJP government reduced central excise duty and VAT in BJP ruled states reduced VAT but non-BJP rules states didn’t reduce their VAT.
He said that based upon nine years of Modi government, the BJP will approach 2024 general elections.
“In nine years, the discussions are about two competing models--one of Modi’s, which is development-oriented ‘Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas’ and another is ‘rewari bantne wala model (freebies). Congress started in Karnataka and AAP also tried in Punjab, but freebies ultimately are some taxpayer’s money,” he said.
On much awaited assembly elections in the region, he said that J&K was undergoing a transitional phase and the authorities concerned will take the call at an appropriate time.
“Earlier, people here were going through insurgency but now law and order has improved. Accordingly, a decision will be taken,” he said.
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