On Tuesday, Congress workers in the Palakkad district of Kerala praised its Palakkad MP VK Sreekandan for his role in ensuring the halt of the newly launched Vande Bharat Express at Shoranur Junction. The Congress workers filled the railway station and pasted the posters of Palakkad MP VK Sreekandan on the windows of Vande Bharat Express as soon as it arrived at the Shoranur Junction.
The video of the incident was shared on social media in which the Congress workers could be seen praising the leader to honour his “contribution” to making sure the train stopped at Shoranur Junction.
#WATCH | Congress workers pasted posters of Palakkad MP VK Sreekandan on the windows of a wagon of Vande Bharat Express when the train reached Shoranur in Kerala's Palakkad yesterday. Railway Protection Force has registered a case, investigation underway pic.twitter.com/rgqocYIqid
— ANI (@ANI) April 26, 2023
According to the reports, Sreekandan had issued a warning that the Congress would flag down the train if a halt at Shoranur was not announced to the public before the train’s inauguration. In addition, the Congress party was ready to hold an extensive demonstration if the Railways’ decision had not been positive towards halt at Shoranur Junction.
The Congress people, as seen in the video held posters and placards hailing the Palakkad MP and pasted the posters of the leader on the windows of the Vande Bharat Express as soon as the train slowed down. Railway Protection Force took cognizance of the event and has lodged a case and an investigation into the matter is underway.
Kerala’s first Vande Bharat Express connects the state capital, Thiruvananthapuram with Kasaragod, the northernmost district. It is slated to have halts at Kollam, Kottayam, Ernakulam Town, Thrissur, Shoranur Junction, Kozhikode, Kannur, and Kasaragod. The train was flagged off by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his two-day visit to Kerala on Tuesday.
State BJP President criticized the Congress party and wondered how a Member of Parliament and his followers could behave with such “a dirty mind.” “Defacing Vande Bharat Express in Palakkad is a nefarious activity of the Kerala Congress workers. These criminals are the followers of the ‘crowned prince’. Shame,” he tweeted.
Defacing #VandeBharatExpress in Palakkad is a nefarious activity of the @INCKerala workers. Thse criminals are the followers of the 'crowned prince'. Shame. pic.twitter.com/x4pFHGRsVA
— K Surendran (@surendranbjp) April 25, 2023
BJP TN chief K Annamalai has called it shameful conduct by the Congress workers. He wrote that it is acceptable if Congress cannot contribute to the country’s development but at least the party workers should not contribute in pulling the nation back.
This shameful conduct of the Congress party is highly condemnable.
— K.Annamalai (@annamalai_k) April 26, 2023
It is still acceptable if you can’t contribute to the country's development; at least do not contribute to pulling her back. pic.twitter.com/j1CuFmF8zy
Meanwhile, the Palakkad Congress MP said that he had not asked anyone to paste the posters on the train. He also alleged that the BJP was trying to create controversy out of it.
