‘I Salute India’s Engineers Who In Future Will Make A Bullet Train For Us’: PM Modi Slams Those Mocking Train 18

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today (19 February) hit back at opposition leaders for “targeting and mocking” semi-high speed train Vande Bharat Express, terming it an “insult” to engineers and technicians, reports Press Trust of India.

Modi was reportedly responding to Congress president Rahul Gandhi and Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav criticising the train after it developed a minor snag prior to commencement of commercial runs.

“It is unfortunate that, some persons targeting and mocking at semi-high speed train. It is an insult to engineers and technicians involved in the project. People should remain alert against such persons who are insulting engineers and technicians and mocking the country,” Modi was quoted saying in the report.

He has also reportedly appealed people not to get “demoralised by people surrounded by negativity”.

“I salute engineering professionals, who will in future make a bullet train in India and run it also...I am getting a letter of people who are hurt”, the PM said asking them.

“Is it right to insult engineers and technicians? Is mocking them right. Can they be pardoned? Should they not be given the right punishment at the right time.” Modi asked.

The Congress chief had earlier attacked Modi's ambitious 'Make in India' campaign saying that “Modi Ji, I think Make in India needs a serious rethink. Most people feel it has failed. I assure you we in the Congress are thinking very deeply about how it will be done,".

Gandhi also reportedly mocked the Vande Bharat Express suffered a hitch on its maiden return journey on Saturday(19 February).

Meanwhile, Samajwadi party chief Akhilesh Yadav had on Sunday tweeted that, “After the inauguration, fumes were seen in Vande Bharat train, power failure inside coaches, snag developed in brakes after which train came to a halt. Vande Bharat is a story of development. Farmers are angry, youths are unemployed, the security system has collapsed, and the country’s economy shattered”.