The Aam aadmi Party (AAP) has held the BJP-led central government responsible for the tragic accident at New Delhi Railway Station, citing mismanagement and inaction. Senior AAP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh questioned how many more railway accidents must occur before the Railway Minister and the Centre are held accountable.
The AAP MP criticised the lack of crowd management at the station, where thousands had gathered, including devotees heading to the Mahakumbh. “The real death toll is being concealed. While the LG initially acknowledged the deaths, he later edited his tweet. Meanwhile, the Railway Minister outright denied the incident,” he said, calling out the BJP government for repeatedly covering up tragedies instead of preventing them.
Addressing a press conference, Sanjay Singh slammed the railway administration’s negligence, calling it out for the chaos that led to multiple deaths. While reports suggest the toll could be 15 or 18, eyewitnesses claim the actual number is much higher. He condemned the government’s repeated failure to act, stating that instead of showing empathy, it tries to suppress facts—even going as far as breaking reporters’ phones to stop them from capturing the truth.
The AAP Rajya Sabha MP criticized the railway administration, holding it responsible for the tragic incident at New Delhi Railway Station, which he attributed to severe mismanagement and negligence. He stated, “Thousands of devotees traveling for the Maha Kumbh and passengers heading to their homes were caught in chaos on the platform.”
Sanjay Singh highlighted the confusion surrounding the death toll, noting that different reports cited varying numbers, “The exact number of casualties is still unclear—some reports mention 15, others say 18,” he said, adding, “Eyewitnesses present at the scene claim that the number of victims is much higher.”
The senior AAP leader condemned the government’s typical handling of such crises, stating: “Unfortunately, we have seen a familiar pattern whenever a disaster occurs due to the government’s failures. Instead of expressing sympathy for the injured or ensuring accountability, the immediate response is to suppress the truth.”
He further called out the government as it actively prevents the truth from emerging, “Reporters’ mobile phones are snatched or broken to stop them from capturing the reality. Initially, the government denies any incident, labeling reports as rumors, lies, or misinformation. Only when the bodies are visible, and the truth becomes undeniable, do they reluctantly acknowledge the tragedy—only to begin covering it up.”
Raising serious questions about accountability, Sanjay Singh said, “The pressing question is: How long will this continue? When will the Railway Minister and the government take responsibility? How many more disasters will it take for accountability?”
He further questioned, “We have witnessed multiple train collisions, each resulting in hundreds of deaths, only to be buried and forgotten. Train accidents occur regularly, and each time, they are hushed up.”
He further stated that the videos from New Delhi Railway Station are shocking—thousands of people crowded the platform, yet there was no railway administration in sight to manage the crowd, organize queues, or maintain order. He said, “This negligence led to chaos and deaths.”
He said that despite the tragedy, the Railway Minister is in denial. Sanjay Singh added, “Delhi’s LG tweeted about the incident and then edited his tweet 29 minutes later—what message does this send?”
He further stated that a similar disaster occurred in Uttar Pradesh during the Maha Kumbh due to sudden platform change announcements. He questioned, “Did the railway administration not understand that if such a large crowd was gathered and a sudden announcement about a platform change was made, it would create chaos? And that is exactly what happened. Yet, after such a massive incident, everyone is busy denying it.”
Sanjay Singh emphasised, “That is why, many times, it feels like death has become the destiny of common people. Sometimes, we die standing in lines during demonetization. Sometimes, we die during the COVID pandemic. Sometimes, during the Maha Kumbh. Sometimes, in train accidents. Sometimes, in road accidents.”
“Sometimes, while demanding jobs. Sometimes, while asking for fair crop prices. Sometimes, due to the collapse of a flyover. Sometimes, due to a bridge collapse. It feels like dying has become our fate, and the government is utterly insensitive. Such massive tragedies occur, and the statements made are shameful,” he added.
Sanjay Singh further highlighted, “When so many people died during the Maha Kumbh, it was said, ‘Oh, they attained salvation’..Then grant salvation to those responsible for this mismanagement too—tell them to attain salvation.”
The AAP leader further questioned, “Is the government’s tendency to sprinkle salt on the wounds of the victims going to continue like this? How long will the government keep whitewashing its crimes by covering up such large-scale tragedies? When the bodies are laid out, police officers are stationed to guard the dead—what are you trying to show by this? Is it just to rub salt into the wounds?”
Sanjay Singh stated, “On behalf of the AAP and myself, I express my deepest condolences to those who lost their lives in this incident. I pray to God to give strength to their families to bear this immense pain and grant peace to the departed souls.”
Sanjay Singh stated that may this government be granted wisdom—to at least show some sensitivity during such incidents. He highlighted, “Stop the habit of denial, cover-ups, and lies. And stop labeling anyone who speaks out as anti-religion, anti-national, or attacking the opposition through social media campaigns.”
He called out the central government and said, “Stop these disgraceful actions; they will bring no benefit to you or the country. You are free to hurl abuses at us, label us as anti-religion, or call us anything you wish—that is your intention. But at the very least, make an honest effort to prevent such incidents.”
He further highlighted that during the Maha Kumbh, there were incidents of fires breaking out in tents and stampedes occurring. He said, “You carried out such massive publicity for 144 years of the event that people from all over the country and the world gathered there. Yet, the arrangements made were completely inadequate.”
Sanjay Singh added, “And since 2014, the people of this country have chosen God as their leader, so there can be no criticism—after all, who dares to criticize God? If it were a human leader, there could be criticism.”
The AAP leader concluded by stating that the families of those who lost their lives in this incident deserve proper justice from the government. He said, “When will the accountability of the Railway Minister be determined? How many more incidents, how many more deaths, and how many more train accidents must we witness before the Railway Minister is held responsible?”
