Hyderabad: The Telangana BJP on Thursday strongly criticised the Congress-led Opposition for staging a dharna near Rail Nilayam, the South Central Railway headquarters in Secunderabad, on Wednesday, demanding special trains to ferry its workers to New Delhi for the November 1 rally.
BJP State Chief Spokesperson and Media In-charge N. V. Subash questioned the Opposition’s understanding of railway procedures, pointing out that special train bookings require advance planning and compliance with prescribed formalities. “How can a party that ruled the country for six decades claim ignorance of the basic procedures for booking special trains? Such requests must be routed through the designated Indian Railways channels, including IRCTC’s Full Tariff Rate (FTR) facility, with the requisite advance notice and approvals,” he said.
Subash alleged that the protest was another attempt by Congress and its allies to create a political controversy and blame Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah by suggesting that they had directed the Railways to reject the request.
He also expressed concern over the reported impact of repeated political agitations in the national capital on traders during the festive season.
Referring to representations by Delhi traders over business losses during Navaratri and Dussehra, he said political parties should not ignore the economic hardships faced by ordinary people and small businesses.
With Diwali approaching and the Railways already operating special services to manage the seasonal rush, Subash said the Opposition could have explored alternatives, including requesting additional coaches, subject to operational feasibility and railway approval.
“People are growing tired of political theatrics that offer no solutions. Instead of introspecting after repeated electoral setbacks, the Congress continues to resort to protests and blame games,” he said, citing the party’s recent performance in MLC elections as evidence of voter discontent.
Subash urged the Opposition to follow established procedures rather than politicise administrative decisions and inconvenience the public during the festive season.
