Now, Didi blames CPM for train disasters

NEW DELHI: The war of words between Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee and CPM has become more bellicose.

The railway minister on Wednesday openly blamed CPM for the Gyaneshwari Express and Sainthia disasters and said it was drawing up “scientific plans” to sabotage railways. The Marxists alleged that Ms Banerjee was not discharging her responsibilities because she was preoccupied with “other activities” .

Ms Banerjee, who used a martyr’s day rally in Kolkata organised in the memory of 13 Youth Congress workers killed in a police firing in 1993 to attack her opponents, even accused CPM activists of planting cockroaches in the food served by Railways to ruin its reputation.

“On May 30 the Kolkata Municipal Corporation elections took place and on May 28 CPM orchestrated the Gyaneshwari train accident. The locals told me CPM is behind it, the CBI probe is on. The accident at Sainthia occurred on July 19 before our Martyr’s Day rally today. Both took place around 2 am. Many people were killed. This should be probed. The CBI is investigating the earlier accident. They are not planning development, but opening clips on tracks. Some comrades are drawing up scientific plans. After Gyaneshwari, they strung up a poster claiming that it was an accident . Who were behind it should be investigated. It is sabotage,” she said.

Ms Banerjee, who was under Opposition attack following the Sainthia accident , said: “I am prepared to resign if CPM guarantees that it will not indulge in sabotage.” Countering her charges, CPM polit bureau member Sitaram Yechury said in Delhi that she was politicking a serious mishap. He pointed out that home minister P Chidambaram has also regretted the delay in rescue and relief teams reaching the accident site. “The delay in relief teams reaching the site has caused the loss of several lives. And instead, she is floating the conspiracy theory,” he said.