HYDERABAD: The Congress leaders, led by TPCC president Mahesh Kumar Goud and ministers, on Wednesday courted arrest while staging a protest against the denial of special trains to the ruling party cadre to join a mega rally at the Ramlila Maidan in New Delhi on November 1.
The leaders held a demonstration before the South Central Railway general manager’s office for denying them special trains.
Six days ago, the party MPs Anil Yadav and Mallu Ravi submitted a request to the general manager seeking special train services for the Congress cadre to travel to the national capital. They alleged that the Railways had rejected their request at the behest of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah.
The TPCC president vowed to reach Delhi and make their voice heard despite the “hindrances” created by the Union government. “The days of Modi’s fascist regime are numbered,” he said.
The other leaders who joined the protest included minister Ponnam Prabhakar, Rajya Sabha members Vem Narender Reddy, Anil Kumar Yadav, MLAs Naveen Yadav, Sri Ganesh, MP Raghuram Reddy, DCC presidents Mothe Mokshith and Deepak John.
It may be recalled that the Congress and its INDIA bloc partners have been protesting in New Delhi alleging “tinkering of votes” by the Election Commission of India.
Meanwhile, in a press statement, Housing Minister Ponguleti Srinivasa Reddy flayed the Centre for denying special train services for the Congress cadre. He derided the BJP for holding dharnas while denying the right to protest to the Congress.
“The cadre and leaders of the INDIA bloc parties have been facing problems in allocation of trains. The Centre should think beyond politics on the issue of allocating trains for political programmes,” he said.