Telangana BJP Slams Congress Over Rail Nilayam Dharna Ahead of Delhi Rally Train Request
The state BJP says the Opposition's protest over special trains for a November 1 Delhi rally shows a shaky grasp of how railway bookings work.
Telangana's BJP on Thursday accused the Congress-led Opposition of staging a dharna outside Rail Nilayam, the South Central Railway headquarters in Secunderabad, just a day before it asked for special trains to carry its workers to New Delhi for a November 1 rally.
State chief spokesperson NV Subash said the protest revealed a poor understanding of how special trains are arranged. Booking one, he argued, takes advance planning and must follow set procedures. Requests have to go through official Indian Railways channels, including the IRCTC's Full Tariff Rate (FTR) facility, and come with proper notice and approvals.
Subash also questioned how a party that governed the country for decades could claim it did not know these basics. He said the dharna was a deliberate move to stir up a political fight. By suggesting that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah had ordered the Railways to turn down the request, he argued, the Opposition was trying to pin the blame on the Centre.
For travellers and business owners, the dispute touches something practical. Special trains are not simply a matter of asking for a carriage on short notice. Rail operators plan timetables, rakes and crew well ahead, and a sudden request can affect regular services. Subash's point is that a clear, formal application is the only route that works.
Subash also raised concern about how repeated political protests in the national capital affect traders during the festive season, when shops and markets depend heavily on footfall and smooth movement. His remarks signal that the row over the rally is now as much about the timing of protests as it is about who controls the trains.
For now, the Opposition has not been shown to have secured the special trains it sought, and the rally is still weeks away. Anyone following the story can read the original report at The Hans India.
