'Totally unprepared': Chidambaram attacks Centre over power crisis

Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Saturday (April 30) hit out at the Union government over the issue of coal shortage at thermal plants which has resulted in a major power crisis across the country.

In a series of tweets, Chidambaram, a former Union minister, also made sarcastic comments against the Narendra Modi-led BJP government at the Centre.

Also read: Massive power cuts in several states due to heatwave, coal shortage

“Abundant coal, large rail network, unutilised capacity in thermal plants. Yet, there is acute power shortage. Modi Government cannot be blamed. It is because of 60 years of Congress rule!” Chidambaram said.

“There is no incompetence in the Ministries of Coal, Railway or Power. The blame lies with past Congress ministers of the said departments!” the former Finance Minister added.

There is no incompetence in the Ministries of Coal, Railway or Power. The blame lies with past Congress ministers of the said departments!

— P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) April 30, 2022

With coal shortages at thermal plants, the Indian Railways had cancelled passenger trains for the movement of coal carriages. He mocked this as the “perfect solution” and said “if Modi is there, it is possible”.

Also read: Coal shortage: Nuclear power repository comes in handy for TN

“Government has found the perfect solution: cancel passenger trains and run coal rakes! Modi hai, mumkin hai,” he tweeted.

Government has found the perfect solution: cancel passenger trains and run coal rakes!

Modi hai, mumkin hai.

— P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) April 30, 2022

Further, Chidambaram said the Modi government was “inventing” excuses to hide their “monumental incompetence”.

“The Ministries of Coal, Railway and Power are desperately inventing excuses to hide their monumental incompetence. If they believed the yarn that we were witnessing a V-shaped recovery, they would have stepped up coal production and coal imports,” he said.

“Despite the absence of a V-shaped recovery, and only a recovery in fits and starts, the Government is totally unprepared to tackle the coal-rail-power crisis. As shortages persist and inflation rises, please brace for more hardships,” he added.

Despite the absence of a V-shaped recovery, and only a recovery in fits and starts, the Government is totally unprepared to tackle the coal-rail-power crisis

As shortages persist and inflation rises, please brace for more hardships

— P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) April 30, 2022

With the heatwave sweeping through the country and various states reeling under power shortages, the opposition parties have blamed the Centre for the current situation.