North Bengal Development Minister Udayan Guha said the old train was painted and given the name Vande Bharat Express. On Friday 6th January 2023, Trinamool Congress leader and North Bengal Development Minister Udayan Guha launched Didi’s Raksha Kavach program at the Koochbehar district Trinamool Congress office. That’s where he made this statement. In fact, Mamata Banerjee’s government has already faced criticism for stone-pelting at Vande Bharat by some anti-social elements.
Normal train has been renamed as Vande Bharat Train&fare of a high-speed train is being charged. If it’s a high-speed train then why it’s taking 8 hours from Howrah to New Jalpaiguri. Don’t use people’s money for painting a normal train as Vande Bharat: WB Min Udayan Guha (06.01) pic.twitter.com/btXFnxcddC
— ANI (@ANI) January 7, 2023
Minister Udayan Guha said, “Vande Bharat’s speed is 160 kilometres, and it takes 8 hours to travel from Howrah to New Jalpaiguri. In such a situation, the central government is fooling the people. People won’t accept things like that.”
Minister Udayan Guha said, “The old train has been painted and given the name Vande Bharat. If people are fooled in this way, more such incidents can happen. An attempt is being made to fool the common people by naming the old train Vande Bharat.” He added, “Stone pelting can never be supported. However, when people understand that they are fooling them, people can do something else in anger.”
Udayan Guha said, “This is nothing new. Earlier also, stones were hurled at various places demanding stoppages of many trains. If the common train is called Vande Bharat, its fare is higher, then such an incident can happen. Put all this hypocrisy and stupidity aside and present the truth to the people. In fact, people are not tolerating the hypocrisy surrounding these trains. The old train is being painted and presented in a new form.”
Udayan Guha’s statement has come after West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee called Vande Bharat express a refurbished train with a new engine. The West Bengal chief minister made the comment in response to recent occurrences involving the Vande Bharat train being pelted with stones on the newly launched Howrah-New Jalpaiguri express. Banerjee, dispelling the allegations, asserted that the occurrences took place in Bihar, not West Bengal and that those propagating rumours would face consequences.
BJP leader Shamik Bhattacharya reacted to North Bengal Development Minister’s statement by saying, “Vande Bharat is a symbol of the country’s speed at this time. Which coach in India is old, and is being repainted? He won’t prove it. Defaming the union government with this false information will not work. An irresponsible party representative will say these things. But Udayan Guha established the fact that he was supporting stone pelting.”
