TMC claims special train request denied, Railways says got no application from party

The TMC on Friday claimed it was refused a special train to transport individuals to Delhi to attend anti-Centre protests. Those going to the national capital were purportedly denied rural job scheme dues.

Late evening, TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee reached Netaji Indoor Stadium in Kolkata where MGNREGA beneficiaries gathered and were expecting to board the train for Delhi on Saturday morning. He announced that an alternative arrangement would be made over the next two days.

He warned that any attempt made to harm them on the way to the capital would be responded to by the people democratically.

“Shocking display of deceit: The BJP govt shamelessly denied to provide a special train after accepting the deposit,” Banerjee stated on X and shared two communiques — the responses concerning the train.

A response, from the group general manager, IRCTC, eastern zone, with a signature of an 'asst trans. manager (rules)', mentioned the letter regarding the special train has been examined, and the “coaches as per desired rake composition are not available at present (sic)”.

“No political party made any request to the Eastern Railway. Some political party had probably made a request to the group general manager (eastern zone), IRCTC. Based on that request the group general manager enquired from the railway if any rakes were available or not. The railway group general manager informed IRCTC that any such rake, as asked for, is not available at the moment. No political party made any request to the Eastern Railway (sic),” a senior officer representing Eastern Railway, told DH.

Speaking to reporters, Banerjee said that the special train was for taking job cardholders (of a 100-day rural job scheme) to Delhi. There are over 2.65 crore job cardholders in the state. The permission for temporary camps at Ramlila Maidan for one lakh people as protesters was not given. Another permission for holding a programme outside Krishi Bhavan was also denied, he said.

A day earlier, on Thursday, Banerjee had been asked by ED to appear before it on October 3, in connection with an ongoing investigation. The date, incidentally, coincides with Trinamool’s Delhi protest programme.

Banerjee, on X, recalled how earlier in September he was summoned by the ED on a day that coincided with I.N.D.I.A’s meeting. Banerjee, on Friday morning, had shared on his official X-handle that he will be joining the Delhi protest on October 2, 3. “Stop me if u (you) can!” he had tweeted.

“Tomorrow, we will take the necessary steps and those who have reached Bengal, we will take them to Delhi in the next two days. But if anyone lays a finger on the common people or labourers in BJP-ruled states, we won’t back down and people will give a befitting response to them democratically,” he said.

Meanwhile, Calcutta High Court on Friday ordered the removal of Mithilesh Kumar Mishra, assistant director, ED, from a team that’s investigating primary teachers recruitment scam in the state. The officer will not be entrusted to investigate any case arising in the state.

Mishra had summoned Banerjee to appear at the agency’s office on October 3.