Tensions ran high at DumDum railway Station as Bharatiya Janata Party ( BJP) workers and Trinamool Congress supporters engaged in a heated war of words on the day of the inauguration of the AC local train.
On Sunday the first AC local from Sealdah to Ranaghat was inaugurated by Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar in the presence of MP Shantanu Thakur , BJP state president and MP Shamik Bhattacharya at Sealdah Station .
When the train reached Dumdum railway station Sukanta Majumdar had got off and met with his party workers and had left the station when it is said he heard that there was some heated argument between BJP and TMC workers at the station .
Once he reached the spot it was seen that’Joy Bangla’ slogans were raised. After this the workers and supporters of both the parties engaged in a scuffle. The police and the RPF kept both the parties supporters at bay so that the issue does not escalate further .
The TMC supporters kept shouting that BJP is anti-Bangla. The protesters shouted ‘Joy Bangla’. A Trinamool worker Joydeep mondol said ,” they ( BJP ) are anti Bengali so they have no place in Bengal.”
Another protester said , “We don’t understand any central minister. They are anti-Bangla and Bengalis. We Bengalis are being assaulted in other states . They call us foreigners and tell us to go back to Bangladesh , so wherever we see them, I will say ‘Joy Bangla’. They do not know Abhishek Banerjee is here to stay , and we are also here to stay.”
Meanwhile BJP workers kept shouting “ Jai shri Ram and Jai Bharat “
Sukanta Majumdar also hit out at the TMC saying , “ Why do they have Yusuf Pathan and Kirti Azad as MP s are they Bengali . They loot the centre’s money . They are scared of SIR ( Special Intensive Revision) and I am saying that SIR will be implemented. My bjp workers have been assaulted . This is a government program this is not a party program the TMC workers assaulted bjp women workers who had come . This is unacceptable. I will complain to the railway minister.”
On Sunday the State saw the launch of its first AC local train service. The first such service in eastern India began operations on the Sealdah–Ranaghat route. The service will open for the public on Monday.
According to railway officials , two AC locals have been delivered, but only one will operate initially. Depending on demand and operational assessment, the number of trains will be increased later. Like regular trains, travelling without a ticket will incur a penalty of ₹250 along with the minimum fare.
The AC local has 12 coaches with 1,126 seats. The service will run from Monday to Saturday, and in the initial phase, it will not stop at all stations. On the Ranaghat–Sealdah route, it will halt at Chakdaha, Kalyani, Kanchrapara, Naihati, Barrackpore, Khardah, Sodepur, Dum Dum, and Bidhannagar stations.
The train will leave Ranaghat in the morning peak hour at 8.29 am and will reach Sealdah at 10.10 am. The UP AC local will leave Sealdah at 6.50 pm and will reach Ranagahat at 8.32 pm to cater to the evening rush.
Each coach is fitted with a 30-ton AC unit and coach is equipped with stainless-steel seating for three, CCTV cameras, GPS-based LED displays, announcement, and talkback systems of passengers face any issues . Two women-only coaches are located at both ends of the train. Inter-coach corridors will allow movement between compartments. Doors will open only after the train stops at stations and will close before departure, similar to metro operations. Tickets can be purchased both online and at station counters.
After the inauguration Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar said that the Sealdah station should be renamed as Shyamaprasad Mukherjee terminal “Sealdah station should be renamed as Dr Shyamaprasad Mukerjee , the state should send a proposal to the Centre and then we can push it .”
According to Majumdar over 69 rail project are stopped as the Railway are not getting land in bengal, we want that the state government should rise above politics and give property for the rail projects . Rail has the money . This is for the development of the people .
Hitting out at Majumdar’s proposal of renaming Sealdah station TMC leader Kunal Ghosh told media persons ,” if sealdah station is to be renamed then let it be renamed commemorating Swami Vivekananda, as after his famous speech in Chigaco when he came back he reached sealdah station first where the youths had welcomed him.”