Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut jumped in defence of Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray amid the ward of words and slammed Union Railway Minister Piyush Goyal saying that the list has been submitted to rail authorities but there is only one request that the trains should reach their destination.
Earlier on Thursday, a Gorakhpur bound train from Vasai changed route overnight and hundreds of migrant workers and labourers found themselves in Rourkela, Odisha which was nearly 750 km away from the intended destination. However, the railway authorities later claimed that it was a planned diversion due to congestion on some routes.
“Maharashtra government has provided Ministry of Railway with a list of the required trains. I have only one request to Piyush Goyal that the trains should reach the intended destination. The Gorakhpur-bound train shouldn’t reach Odisha,” Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut taunted Goyal.
This came after Goyal retorted to Uddhav Thackeray’s claim that the Indian Railways was not sending enough special ‘Shramik’ trains. “Maharashtra is getting only 40 trains daily to ferry migrants instead of 80 demanded by the state,” Thackeray said during his address on Sunday.
After which, Goyal responded with dozens of tweets saying that Indian Railways was ready to send as many trains as required to states, provided they do not “return empty”.
“I hope that trains do not go empty after arriving at the station like before. I assure you (Uddhav Thackeray) that you will get as many trains as required,” Goyal said.
Furthermore, Goyal lashed out at Shiv Sena-led MVA government and tweeted around 2:00 in the morning, “Where is the list for 125 trains from Maharashtra? As of 2am, received list of only 46 trains of which 5 are to West Bengal and Odisha which cannot operate due to cyclone Amphan.”
Reacting to this, Raut replied via a tweet saying that Goyal should not forget that he represents Maharashtra in Rajya Sabha.
“Piyushji, what list was sought for Nagpur-Udhampur train that left on May 14. What efforts have been made to arrange trains first and then to gather passengers? Which list are you seeking now? Don’t forget that you represent Maharashtra in Rajya Sabha,” Sanjay Raut tweeted in Marathi.
Meanwhile, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Praful Patel took a different stand saying that Goyal and his ministry were under pressure and their efforts should be appreciated. “We appreciate that they are providing trains so that people can reach home,” Patel said.
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