Railway Minister Piyush Goyal was slammed by a section of the Twitterverse on Sunday after he shared a video of India’s fastest train, Vande Bharat Express, showing the indigenously-manufactured train running at a high speed.
“It’s a bird…It’s a plane…Watch India’s first semi-high speed train built under ‘Make in India’ initiative, Vande Bharat Express zooming past at lightening speed,” the Union minister tweeted.
It’s a bird…It’s a plane…Watch India’s first semi-high speed train built under ‘Make in India’ initiative, Vande Bharat Express zooming past at lightening speed. pic.twitter.com/KbbaojAdjO
— Piyush Goyal (@PiyushGoyal) February 10, 2019
While many were left amazed to see the train moving at a speed hardly seen ever before in India, there were others who pointed out that the video was apparently edited to make Vande Bharat Express appear to move faster than it actually is.
Some Twitter users said that the frame rate of the video was increased to make it look as if the train is blazing through the tracks.
The Congress mocked the video stating that the “only thing travelling at lightning speed are Mr. ‘Ghotala’s’ lies”, referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi who the party has been pointing fingers at over the Rafale deal.
The only thing travelling at lightning speed are Mr. ‘Ghotala’s’ lies. https://t.co/fTSi6yM2Qc
— Congress (@INCIndia) February 10, 2019
Retweeting Goyal’s video, the Aam Aadmi Party directly attacked the Railway Minister.
“This way, @narendramodi’s minister @PiyushGoyal will deliver the #BulletTrain before 2019 elections. #BJPFoolingIndia,” the party tweeted from its official handle.
This way, @narendramodi‘s minister @PiyushGoyal will deliver the #BulletTrain before 2019 elections.#BJPFoolingIndia https://t.co/lGJAwUrs5f
— AAP (@AamAadmiParty) February 11, 2019
Trinamool Congress MP Derek O’Brien, too, joined in with a pun on the Union government’s ‘Make in India’ mission.
“#CheatIndia Exhibit 420,” he wrote on Twitter referring to the video shared by Goyal.
#CheatIndia Exhibit 420 https://t.co/aOyMj2TgRq
— Derek O’Brien | ডেরেক ও’ব্রায়েন (@derekobrienmp) February 10, 2019
Other Twitter users took sarcastic jibes at the Railway Minister over the video.
Massive respect for Piyush Goyal. He just made the Video 2X times faster and called it Semi-High Speed Train when he could have made it 6X times faster and called it Super High Speed Train https://t.co/z0KDsYTBJ1
— Joy (@Joydas) February 10, 2019
Thanks to @PiyushGoyal jee , Even bullock cart speed risen up under Modi Government 😍🙏 pic.twitter.com/p9165FlBm7
— ☭ Comrade Dostam ☭ (@dostam_comrade) February 10, 2019
Finally… Driver of @PiyushGoyal ‘s 5x High Speed Train Spotted…
😁😁😁 pic.twitter.com/I6EhO2G99z— Save The Soil (@SavingOurSoul) February 11, 2019
Hello @PiyushGoyal, did u forget it is not GDP numbers and can be accessed by anyone and everyone?
Please remember, you are a cabinet minister, not an employee of BJP IT cell https://t.co/d1pmBmwR1X
— Ravi Nair (@t_d_h_nair) February 10, 2019
“India’s first semi-high speed train” claims Piyush Goyal, tweeting a video in 2x speed.
Tomorrow, he’ll tweet the same video in 4x speed & call it “India’s first bullet train.”
— Punster® (@Pun_Starr) February 10, 2019
Piyush Goyal ji, enough of your Jumlas. This video has been edited to play in fast forward mode. You have again proved that all that the Modi Govt can do is gimmicks.
Even Shatabdhi, with such editing will look as fast. https://t.co/09rkYg0SH6
— Srivatsa (@srivatsayb) February 10, 2019
Japan: Our bullet train can touch the speed of 300 km/hr
US: Our’s can touch a speed of 400 km/hr
Piyush Goyal: Itna mehnat kaun karega be, Just speed up the video to x4 times.
— nehr_who? (@Nehr_who) February 10, 2019
One Twitter user also posted a video comparing the one posted by Goyal to another showing the train’s original speed.
Union Minister @PiyushGoyal speeds up a video of a train and posts a doctored version. This is truly unbecoming of a minister. Indians aren’t fool Mr Goyal , Shame on you for trying to mislead people. pic.twitter.com/YsqjmleWpK
— Roshan Rai (@RoshanKrRai) February 10, 2019
Goyal did not respond to the criticisms and allegation that the speed of the video had been increased. On Monday, however, he posted another video of the train welcoming everyone to “witness its speed and record its inaugural run”.
The much awaited Vande Bharat Express is all set for its maiden journey on 15th Feb. All are welcome to witness its speed and record its inaugural run between New Delhi and Varanasi. pic.twitter.com/8KeAeRJ4fp
— Piyush Goyal (@PiyushGoyal) February 11, 2019
Goyal had on 27 January announced that the indigenously-manufactured Train 18 will be known as Vande Bharat Express.
Vande Bharat Express will run at a maximum speed of 160 kmph. On 27 December last year, Goyal had shared a video showing the train running at a speed of 180 kmph. The train can run at a maximum speed of 200 kmph but it would require upgraded tracks and signals.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will flag off the train soon.