Concerns over Rae Bareilly rail factory based on 'misguided, imaginary fears': Goyal to Sonia

Railway Minister Piyush Goyal on Monday said Congress president Sonia Gandhi's concerns over the corporatisation of the Modern Coach Factory in Rae Bareilly were based on "misguided, imaginary fears" and urged her not to fall for "fear-mongering" on loss of jobs.

In a five-page letter to Gandhi, Goyal took a dig at the Congress leader and said that he was "surprised" that she was opposing the move to set up new "temples of modern India" -- a term coined by Jawaharlal Nehru to describe public sector undertakings.

Gandhi had earlier claimed that the government was seeking to surreptitiously "privatise" MCF which is in her parliamentary constituency, Rae Bareilly.

"I note with great sadness that based on some misguided and imaginary fears, you are now opposing our plan for taking MCF, Rae Bareilly to the next level of development and expansion," he said in the letter dated September 2.

He also said that corporatisation will enable higher investment and promotion of better technology and create an environment that will boost efficiency in operation and innovation.

"I further urge you to not fall for any fear-mongering on the security of livelihoods of the workers of these PUs (production units).... There is no retrenchment, rather railways may increase hiring as MCF moves towards becoming the world's largest coach manufacturer," he said.