Congress claims govt trying to sell assets of railways

The Asian Age.

India, Politics

Adhir Choudhury added that the BJP-led NDA government has consistently failed to meet its targets since it came to power in 2014.

The Congress accused the NDA government on Wednesday of selling away Indian Railways’ assets and blamed it for misleading people as nothing had been done on the grounds to improve the functioning of the nation’s largest public carrier.

New Delhi: The Congress accused the NDA government on Wednesday of selling away Indian Railways’ assets and blamed it for misleading people as nothing had been done on the grounds  to improve the functioning of the nation’s largest public carrier.

Criticising the Narendra Modi-led government’s way of handling the railway ministry, leader of the Congress in Lok Sabha, Adhir Ranjan Choudhury while initiating the discussion on Demand for Grants for Railways (2019-20), accused it of trying to sell away railway assets, adding that the BJP-led NDA is “selling dreams” to people without doing much on the ground.

The BJP on its part blamed the previous Congress dispensation for neglecting the railways, claiming that during the UPA regime, top priority was given to party politics over issues of national interest.

Mr Chowdhury said in the Lok Sabha that the aviation minister wants to sell Air India, the railways minister wants to “sell” its assets and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he alleged, will one day “sell” country.

Adhir Choudhury added that the BJP-led NDA government has consistently failed to meet its targets since it came to power in 2014.

Taking a dig at the government, he said in the budget it has spoken about spending Rs 50 lakh crore on railways in the coming years, and wondered what happened to incumbent minister Piyush Goyal’s predecessor Suresh Prabhu’s claim that Rs 8.5 lakh crore will be spent.

“What happened to Prabhu’s claim? Now you have added Rs 50 lakh crore more? It is clear you intend to sell its assets,” Mr Chowdhury alleged.

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