Mumbai: Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) president Raj Thackeray on Thursday demanded that the Western and the Central Railway administration clear hawkers from stations and foot overbridges on both lines within 15 days, failing which his party would take it upon itself to do so.
Mr. Thackeray and thousands of MNS activists marched from Metro cinema hall to Churchgate railway station to protest against the railway administration’s apathy towards commuters’ problems, in the wake of the stampede at Elphinstone Road railway station that claimed 23 lives.
He led a delegation to meet the general managers of both Western and Central Railway.
“One of the main demands I have made is to make stations and foot overbridges hawker-free. I have asked them to do their duty within 15 days. But if they fail to do so, my party knows how to do it on the 16th day,” he said, addressing the crowd outside Churchgate station.
Against bullet train
The MNS chief claimed that former Railways Minister Suresh Prabhu was removed from the post as he was against the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project. “Gujarat has been eyeing Mumbai for many years, and this project is only for those handful of Gujaratis. The entire country will be forced to repay the ₹1.10 lakh crore loan taken from Japan just for the sake of a handful of Gujaratis,” he said.
He criticised the high-level meetings convened after the Elphinstone Road tragedy, saying the outcome of such meetings is nowhere to be seen. “Problems pending for so many years have not been resolved. The situation has not improved at all even with the change in government,” he said
He said there is anger against the Modi government because he betrayed people’s trust and failed to deliver. “I have never seen a PM who lies so much,” Mr. Thackeray said.
He said people have started speaking the truth against the government. “I urge courts, the Election Commission and even newspaper editors not to bow under pressure from the Modi government. Governments keep on changing. They should take fair calls.”