New Delhi: The Congress claimed on Saturday that the Centre has not honoured its promise of running an adequate number of special Bihar-bound trains during the festive season, saying it “lied” in the run-up to the election in the state to garner votes and that “helpless travellers” are a living proof of the NDA’s “deceitful policies”.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi claimed that trains to Bihar are “packed” and tickets impossible to get, with the journey becoming “inhuman” during the festive season.
The leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha asserted that safe and respectable travel is a right, not a favour.
“It is a month of festivals — Diwali, Bhai Dooj and Chhath. In Bihar, these festivals mean more than just faith, but also a yearning to return home — the fragrance of the soil, the affection of family, the warmth of the village,” Gandhi said in a post in Hindi on X.
But this yearning has now become a struggle, he added.
“Trains to Bihar are packed, tickets are impossible to get and the journey has become inhuman. Many trains are 200 per cent overloaded — people are hanging onto doors and roofs,” the former Congress chief said.
The “failed double-engine” government’s claims are hollow, he said.
“Where are the 12,000 special trains? Why does the situation worsen every year? Why are the people of Bihar forced to return home in such deplorable conditions every year?” Gandhi asked.
If employment and a dignified life were available in the state, they would not have to wander thousands of kilometres away from their homes, he said.
“These are not just helpless travellers, they are the living proof of the NDA’s deceitful policies and intentions. Safe and respectable travel is a right, not a favour,” Gandhi said.
The Congress leader also shared a video montage of packed railway stations and trains on one hand and Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagging off trains on the other, on a split screen.
Addressing a press conference here along with party colleague Abhay Dubey, Congress MP Akhilesh Prasad Singh said Chhath is very special for Bihar and its people.
“There was initially a great deal of relief when (Prime Minister) Narendra Modi and the railway minister announced that 12,000 trains would be used to transport people to their homes, but only 1,500 trains were actually run,” Singh claimed.
“The Modi government lied during the election to garner votes and played with the faith of people, as we all saw how people returned home amid heavy crowds and difficulties,” he said.
“This is not the first case — Modi has betrayed Bihar and its people many times. Modi’s ally, (Bihar Chief Minister) Nitish Kumar, is also doing the same. This is why Bihar has continued to lag behind and lies at the bottom in every aspect today,” the Congress leader said.
In his remarks at the presser, Dubey claimed that the entire state of Bihar is in distress and the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government has subjected passengers to immense hardship during train travel.
“The government has betrayed the people of Bihar on the occasion of Chhath Puja. Narendra Modi and several other BJP leaders had promised to run 12,000 trains.
“The Modi government makes many claims, but we all saw how much people were inconvenienced during their travels. All leaders, including Modi himself, travel by planes worth thousands of crores, but the public is forced to travel on crowded trains,” Dubey said.
People will not forgive those who hurt Bihar’s religious sentiments, he said, adding that the public will teach them a lesson with their votes and oust them from power.
Earlier this week, the railway ministry released a list of 12,011 train trips scheduled between October 1 and November 30, suggesting that on an average, 196 special trains are operating daily from various destinations in the country to cater to the heavy festive rush.
The highest number of special trains operated so far on a single day during this period was around 280 on October 18, while the lowest was approximately 166 on October 8.
Officials said the ministry worked day and night for months with all the zones and divisions to identify and utilise all available coaches to ensure that passengers could reach their destinations in time to celebrate festivals.
Almost all the coaches, including those sent for repair, were retrieved, ensuring their fitness from all 70 railway divisions across the country, to facilitate 12,011 trips based on passenger movements, a railway official said.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president J P Nadda had, at a recent public rally in Bihar, said the Ministry of Railways has increased the number of special trains to 12,000 this time to meet the passenger rush during the Chhath festival.
The 243-member Bihar Assembly will go to polls in two phases on November 6 and 11, with the results set to be announced on November 14.
