Cong backs Mamata,some cite coalition

Asked whether Banerjee should take moral responsibility for the accident,AICC spokesman Shakeel Ahmed said,She is the minister in charge of Railways. It is difficult to pinpoint who was responsible without an inquiry report. Only after determining the responsibility the Prime Minister or the Railway Minister can take action.

Meanwhile,sources in the Congress cited coalition compulsions in justification of the official reaction. Coalition is not a dharma. It is bebasi helplessness, said a senior Congress leader,adding that the party was not in a position to dictate to its UPA partner as to who should represent it in the Cabinet.

Earlier in the day,Pranab Mukherjee had dismissed queries about Banerjee8217;s absence from her Ministry. Accidents are accidents. Nobody can predict,that8217;s why it is an accident, he had said.

More than 60 people were feared dead in an early morning collision between Uttarbanga Express and Vananchal Express at Sainthia station in Birbhum district of West Bengal. Congress President Sonia Gandhi has condoled the loss of lives in the train accident and conveyed her deep condolences to the bereaved families.

It is an unfortunate and sad incident. Those who work in the Railways should ensure that such accidents are not repeated. This is an accident. By raising political issues,one should not make light of the serious nature of the accident. Ahmed said.

He refused to get drawn into comparisons between the tenures of Lalu Prasad and Mamata Banerjee. No political party should take political mileage and twist the issue with political connotations, he said.