There was high drama at Howrah station today as a visibly angry West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee refused to get up on the platform from where the Vande Bharat Express to New Jalpaiguri would be flagged off. When Banerjee arrived for the event, a section of the crowd reportedly started chanting ‘Jai Shri Ram’. Banerjee looked troubled by the loud sloganeering.
Attempts by Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav and Governor CV Anand Bose to pacify him failed, as the Chief Minister opted to sit on a chair with spectators. Banerjee, however, maintained the dignity of the event as she offered her condolences to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who attended the event virtually this morning despite losing his mother.
#watch , Slogans of ‘Jai Shri Ram’ were raised on a platform at Howrah railway station after West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee arrived for the event, where the Vande Bharat Express was later flagged off by PM Modi via video conferencing. pic.twitter.com/PKAWPr9zSo– ANI (@ANI) December 30, 2022
“Respected PM, Today is a sad day for you personally and it is a great loss in your personal life. I pray to God, may God give you strength and bless you so that you can continue to support your mother in your work and I express my gratitude to you as you were supposed to come to West Bengal but could not come due to the sad demise of your mother but have joined us virtually,” Banerjee told PM Modi. also requested PM Modi to cut short the schedule and take rest as he has just come from his mother’s funeral.
Vande Bharat Express connecting Howrah and New Jalpaiguri, the gateway to the Northeast, along with several development projects were virtually inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday.
Later, after a metro rail ride, Railway Minister Vaish while talking to reporters in Taratala downplayed the incident and said that the Chief Minister was invited with “Aadar” (affection) and “Samman” (respect). I went. “There is no such thing to be angry about. The workers raise slogans,” he said. (with agency inputs)