TMC to Make Alternate Plans for Delhi Protest After Special Train Request Denied

Abhishek Banerjee, a senior TMC politician, declared that his party will make alternate plans to transport its followers to Delhi for the protest program on October 3. He accused the BJP of erecting barriers after the request for a special train was turned down.

The TMC claimed that the railways turned down their request for a special train to transport protesters from West Bengal to New Delhi. The Eastern Railways said that it had received the IRCTC's request and that the lack of rakes in the requested quantity was the cause for the denial.

On Friday, Banerjee said there would be consequences if the program's participants were attacked while traveling to Delhi through BJP-governed states.

"The BJP is purposefully erecting barriers to halt our protest campaign. They initially refused to grant us permission for Ram Leela Maidan, followed by a notice to appear before the Enforcement Directorate that day, and now this last-minute denial of a special train," he continued.

He stated that lakhs of workers from all over West Bengal—which has 2.65 crore MGNREGA job cards—have converged in Calcutta in order to travel to Delhi and seek their back pay.

"On September 23, we requested a train to carry them to Delhi. But today, the permit was revoked," he stated.

Banerjee warned the BJP that if any of the participants were attacked, there would be significant consequences and that the TMC would not tolerate it. She added that the TMC will make other arrangements for their journey to the national capital.

The nephew of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and two-term member of parliament from Diamond Harbour, Giriraj Singh, has reportedly informed him that he won't be in his office on October 3.

"We were informed by Giraj Singh's office that he won't be present on October 3." If he is not in the office, we have notified them that we want to meet his deputy, he said.

According to TMC leaders, 4,000 people were scheduled to board a special train on September 30 and travel to Delhi.

The party's MPs, MLAs, and leaders from the several West Bengal districts will honor Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat on his birthday, October 2, as part of the program in Delhi, according to the statement.