NEW DELHI: Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw launched a broadside against the Congress-led Opposition on Friday, indirectly accusing them of creating and spreading fake narratives about the Indian Railways through various social media platforms. Speaking after the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Vadodara-based Gati-Shakti Vishwavidyalaya and Airbus at Railway Bhawan, Vaishnaw alleged, “They (Opposition leaders) are spreading false narratives against the Indian Railways and attempting to denigrate railway employees for their own political gains.”Expressing grave concerns about the Opposition’s actions, Vaishnaw emphasised, “Social media platforms are being misused by certain Opposition parties to cast aspersions on railway services. These false narratives against the Indian Railways must cease, especially considering that it serves millions daily and employs over 1.2 million dedicated staff who work tirelessly to ensure seamless rail transportation across the country.”He further pointed out that more than 2.5 crore people travel by train daily across India, underscoring that misinformation spread by the Opposition hinders the development of the railways. “I urge our over 12 lakh employees and all stakeholders in the railway sector to work together with dedication, maintaining high morale, and not be discouraged by the false narratives and misinformation being propagated by the Opposition,” Vaishnaw added.He reiterated the Indian Railways’ commitment to providing affordable travel to people from all socio-economic backgrounds. Vaishnaw also announced plans for the manufacture of 10,000 non-AC coaches in the next two years, emphasizing the government’s commitment to delivering on promises made. “The conversion of MoUs into tangible actions marks a significant achievement. This reflects the government’s dedication to ‘Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas’ as envisioned by Prime Minister Modi,” Vaishnaw said, highlighting the importance of holistic development across aviation, highways, railways, and road transportation sectors.Union Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu, speaking at the event, also expressed optimism about the MoU’s potential to strengthen the Indian aviation sector through collaboration. “The civil aviation sector is the fastest-growing sector in India, with the number of airports doubling in the last decade,” Naidu stated. He affirmed that the Aviation Ministry will continue to seek guidance from the railways and collaborate with Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya to further the progress of the aviation sector.Remi Maillard, President and Managing Director of Airbus in India and South Asia, hailed the partnership between industry and academia as groundbreaking. He emphasized its role in developing a skilled workforce crucial for India’s transportation sector, particularly aviation. “This partnership will serve as a success story for the Government of India’s ‘Skill India’ programme. As per the MoU, we will create job opportunities for 15,000 students within our supply chain in India,” Maillard announced.Other dignitaries present at the MoU signing included Minister of State for Railways Ravneet Singh, Railway Board Chairman and CEO Jaya Varma Sinha, Ministry of Civil Aviation Secretary Vumlunmang Vualnam, and senior officials from the Railway Board.
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