Jamshedpur, May 30: Cracks in the district Congress-RJD alliance came to the fore when activists of the Jharkhand Pradesh Congress Committee’s labour cell staged a dharna in front of the entrance of Tatanagar railway station today in protest against Union railway minister Laloo Prasad Yadav’s apathetic attitude towards problems faced by train passengers.
Anger was writ large on the faces of the Congress activists as they demanded Laloo Prasad’s intervention in resolving various problems, including theft, murder, dacoity and rape on trains plying in the Chakradharpur division of South Eastern Railway (SER). “It’s high time the railway ministry paid attention to the Chakradharpur division. Women are being raped on trains. Incidence of dacoity on Purshottam Express, Tata-Jammutavi Express, Chakradharpur-Howrah passenger trains in Purulia, Balrampur and Muri sections have increased in the past six months. But no step has been taken by the ministry,” said C.A. Mahanty, chief spokesperson of the labour cell.
On why the Congress demonstrated against Laloo Prasad who has assumed the post of railway minister barely a few days ago, he said: “This is a democratic country where everyone has the right to protest.” He added that the dharna did not signify any differences between the Congress and the RJD.
However, state RJD president Yogendra Lal Baitha, termed the dharna a publicity stunt. “Jo log dharna par baithe the sab BJP ke dalal hain (Those who staged the demonstration indirectly work for the BJP),” said Baitha.
President of the RJD’s youth wing Purendra Narayan Singh said he had not received news of the demonstration. “If they have demonstrated against Laloo Prasad, it shows their immaturity. Lalooji has taken charge of the railway ministry recently. Let him settle down first,” he added.
Bus strike
Jamshedpur, May 30: The Jamshedpur Mini Bus Association has threatened to go on strike if construction work is carried out on the old bus stand premises. Tata Steel is in the process of widening Purulia road where the bus stand stands as part of its plans to convert the thoroughfare into double lane.
