PM Modi's 'April Fool' jibe at Congress after flagging off Vande Bharat train in Bhopal

Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off the Bhopa-Delhi Vande Bharat Express on Saturday.

By Ravish Pal Singh: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday took an 'April Fool' dig at Congress after flagging off the new Bhopal-Delhi Vande Bharat Express from the Rani Kamalapati station in Madhya Pradesh's Bhopal.

Addressing an event, PM Modi said, "Today, on April 1, our Congress friends will definitely give a statement that this Modi is making everyone 'April Fool'. But you see... this train started on April 1st itself. This is a symbol of our skill, capability and our confidence."

The PM also said that previous governments were so busy with polarisation for the vote bank that they did not get time for the welfare of the people. “Previous governments focused on only one family as the country’s first family and left the poor and middle-class on their own. Indian Railways is an example of this. It was not upgraded. Was it right? They could have made railways modern but they sacrificed the development of railways for self-interest," he said.

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BHOPAL-DELHI VANDE BHARAT EXPRESS

The 11th Vande Bharat Express train will cover a distance of 708 km in around seven hours and 45 minutes.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw were also present during the flagging off of the train.

A government release said that “the indigenously designed train set of Vande Bharat Express is equipped with state-of-the-art passenger amenities.”

The train will provide a faster, comfortable, and more convenient travel experience for rail users, the official release stated. It is also set to boost tourism and promote economic development in the region.

So far, 10 Vande Bharat trains have been inaugurated, including two from Delhi to Varanasi and Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra running since 2019.

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PM MODI CONDOLES INDORE TEMPLE ACCIDENT DEATHS

At the flagging off ceremony of the Bhopal-New Delhi Vande Bharat train at Rani Kamlapati railway station, PM Modi condoled the loss of lives in the Indore temple stepwell collapse.

The death toll in Indore’s Beleshwar Mahadev Jhulelal temple stepwell collapse reached 36 on Friday. The roof covered with stone slabs collapsed around 11.30 am on Thursday when dozens of people were at the temple for special Ram Navami prayers.

The stepwell leads to a pool of water nine feet deep. It was full of mud which was being pumped out. At least 15 people were rescued immediately and were pulled up with the help of ropes. But several drowned and died of suffocation.

ALSO READ | Indore temple stepwell cave-in: 2 municipal officers suspended

COMBINES COMMABDERS' CONFERENCE

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi took part in the Combined Commanders' Conference, along with the heads of three armed forces, the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.

The conference was held from March 30 to April 1.