Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw defends government's record, slams opposition's 'reels'

In defense of the Narendra Modi government’s achievements in the Lok Sabha on Thursday, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw lashed out at the opposition for its criticism, accusing them of focusing on superficial media portrayals rather than substantive work.

Vaishnaw's remarks were directed at a recent Congress video featuring Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, which criticized the working conditions of Indian loco pilots. The Congress post highlighted the pilots' alleged poor conditions and demanded improvements.

Countering these claims, Vaishnaw stated, "We don't make reels; we do hard work. Unlike the opposition, who use reels to show off, our government has implemented significant improvements." He elaborated on the enhancements made since 2016, noting that the rules governing loco pilots’ working conditions, initially set in 2005, were amended to provide better facilities.

Under the current regime, all 558 running rooms have been air-conditioned, and over 7,000 loco cabs now feature air conditioning—up from zero during previous administrations, according to Vaishnaw. This upgrade was designed to mitigate the adverse effects of heat and vibration experienced by loco pilots.

Vaishnaw also stated the importance of maintaining the apolitical nature of the railway sector. "Railway is the lifeline of India; the Indian economy depends on it," he said. "I urge this house to focus on strengthening, modernizing, and improving railway operations without politicizing these vital issues."

The Minister expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman for their support, particularly praising their efforts to address investment shortfalls through record allocations in the budget. He also acknowledged the contributions of the 12 lakh railway workers who operate over 20,000 trains daily.