CPI-M snubs Mamata Banerjee's allegations over West Bengal train mishap

New Delhi/Kolkata, May 29 (ANI): Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) Polit Bureau member Sitaram Yechury on Saturday rubbished Railway Minister Mamata Banrejee's charges against CPI-M with regard to Friday's Gyaneshwari Express train mishap, asserting that she is covering up the lapses of her ministry into the incident.

Yechury said it is the duty of the Railway Minister to inform about the preliminary observations on the cause of the derailment.

"She has rather chosen to shield the actual culprits by suggesting that Maoists may not be behind the sabotage. It is clear that the Railway Minister is seeking to cover up the serious lapses of her leadership in the ministry and its failings in this tragic episode," said Yechury.

"Banerjee is focusing on the civic elections in West Bengal, instead of the train mishap," he added.

Earlier today, Banerjee demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the mishap, and said the mishap was part of a political conspiracy hatched against her.

The CPM should not indulge in politics, let the state government speed up the probe," she had said.

Banerjee also informed that the Railways would also investigate the incident independently.

"Let the investigation be complete, whoever is found guilty will be punished severely," Banerjee said.

Attacking the ruling CPI-M in West Bengal , she alleged that the state government did not co-operate during rescue operations.

Banerjee said many questions still remained unanswered over the incident, but maintained that an explosion caused the sabotage of the rail tracks.

"This is an heinous crime," she said.

Meanwhile, the death toll has risen to 120, as more bodies were pulled out from the wreckage of the mangled coaches.

Over 3000 security force personnel were reported to be involved in the rescue operations.

"It will take eight to ten hours more to clean up the track as the tracks are broken. The coaches of the train are lying beside the track but the tracks are damaged," said Jaladhar Shastri, railway worker. (ANI)