Prime Minister Narendra Modi asked the people not to get "demoralised by those surrounded by negativity".
Prime Minister Narendra Modi Tuesday hit back at opposition leaders for "targeting and mocking" semi-high speed train Vande Bharat Express, terming it an "insult" to engineers and technicians.
The prime minister was responding to the criticism by Congress President Rahul Gandhi and SP leader Akhilesh Yadav of the train, which had developed a snag on its return journey from Varanasi to Delhi on Saturday, hours after its inaugural run.
Train 18 completes first commercial run: Piyush Goyal slams Rahul Gandhi for insulting Make in India
"Some persons targeting and mocking at semi-high speed train. This is unfortunate. This 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," the PM said while addressing a public meeting here.
He asked the people not to get "demoralised by those surrounded by negativity".
"I salute engineering professionals, who will in future make a bullet train in India and run it also...I am getting letter of people who are hurt", the PM said asking them, "Whether it is right to insult engineers and technicians? Is mocking them right. Can they be pardoned? Should they not be given right punishment at the right time." He said the "country is proud of them (engineers) and their hard work." The Congress President had attacked the Make in India campaign and Prime Minister Modi after the Vande Bharat Express suffered a snag on its maiden return journey on Saturday.
Train 18: Vande Bharat Express tickets sold out for next 10 days
"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 had said.
Samajwadi party chief Akhilesh Yadav had on Sunday taken to Twitter to attack the BJP government after the Vande Bharat Express developed a technical snag.
"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, security system has collapsed and country's economy shattered," Akhilesh had tweeted.
Modi also paid tributes to Ramesh Yadav of Varanasi, who was killed in the Pulwama attack.
"Entire country will be forever indebted to families of those soldiers who laid lives for the country", he said.
1. Ticket Price
)
Passengers travelling from New Delhi to Varanasi in the executive class will be charged Rs 399 for morning tea, breakfast and lunch, and travellers in the chair car Rs 344 for the same.
Those travelling from New Delhi to Kanpur and Prayagraj will be charged Rs 155 and Rs 122 for executive and CC classes, respectively. From Varanasi to New Delhi, passengers Rs 349 in the executive class and Rs 288 in chair car, according to the order. Passengers cannot opt out of meals. But, those travelling from Allahabad to Varanasi and on the return journey Varanasi to Allahabad can opt.
2. Train 18 to replace Rajdhani Train
)
A sleeper-class version of the chair-car facility will be rolled out in 2021, a Railway source told DNA. And, what's exciting is that it could even replace the Rajdhani Express. To treat the citizens to even a better news, the Railway Board said it has placed an order for the manufacturing of 40 more such trains over the next three years.
3. A day after being flagged off, Vande Bharat Express runs into trouble
)
A day after being flagged off by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India's first semi-high speed train, Vande Bharat Express, ran into some trouble early Saturday while returning to Delhi from Varanasi.
The train reached Delhi around 1 pm on Saturday and is scheduled to begin it's first commercial run on Sunday with all tickets already sold out.
