Mumbai: The Rahul Gandhi Express was scheduled to arrive in New Delhi for the Janakrosh Rally at 3.30 am on Sunday, was seven and a half hours late as it arrived at it destination at 11 am. The train, which was carrying more than 1,200 Congress workers, including 300 women party workers, was halted unceremoniously at different stations and signals. Apart from small signals, train was even halted at the near isolated Chambal village.
The party workers protested at Habibganj station, Bhopal station and later Agra station, as they felt the train was deliberately halted. It was only after Mumbai Congress chief Sanjay Nirupam spoke to railway minister Piyush Goyal, that the train ran non-stop to New Delhi from Agra. Commenting on the train running late, Mr Nirupam tweeted, “Train carrying Congress workers from Mumbai was to reach Delhi by 3am. But its still at #Agra. Its delayed by 3 hrs. Is it deliberate or Indian Rail standard time? Spoke to Rail min Piyush Goyal to intervene. Hope he will act fairly and not do petty politics.(sic)”
When contacted, Rajesh Dutt Bajpai, director media coordination, railway minister’s cell, he said, “There can be many reasons for delay including the blocks for maintaince works and repairing.” Anil Kumar Jain, Senior PRO, said, “The train had departed only 20 minutes late from CSMT.”
