A special train departed from Karnal railway station in Haryana on Monday, carrying hundreds of people originally from Bihar. The train was flagged off under the leadership of Praveen Lather, the district president of BJP. This incident has sparked a political controversy after a video surfaced on social media showing passengers claiming they received free tickets from the ruling party to travel to Bihar for voting purposes. In the viral footage, several passengers stated that Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini and local BJP leaders provided them with complimentary one-way tickets to enable them to cast their votes in Bihar, though they were not given return tickets. The video shows passengers wearing BJP scarves and assembling at the railway station with a person named Ravi holding a notebook and papers, apparently verifying names from a list before allowing people to board the train. Congress party leaders quickly seized upon the issue, with urban district president Parag Gaba accusing the BJP government of attempting to influence election outcomes by transporting voters from states under their control to Bihar. The opposition party has demanded an immediate investigation by the Election Commission, questioning whether such organized travel violates the Model Code of Conduct. However, BJP district president Praveen Lather defended the arrangement, clarifying that all passengers were party workers from the Purvanchal community who purchased their own tickets. He acknowledged organizing the special train in his capacity as district chief but denied providing free tickets. The incident has raised important questions about electoral ethics and the role of political parties in facilitating voter movement during active election periods in Bihar.
Special Train Departure Triggers Political Storm
The controversy began when a special train left Karnal railway station bound for Bihar on Monday. The train carried several hundred passengers, all reportedly of Bihari origin. BJP district president Praveen Lather was prominently present at the station, leading the send-off ceremony. A viral video from the event showed a man identified as Ravi standing beside Lather, holding a notebook and various documents. Passengers approached him to verify their names on a list before boarding. The footage revealed travelers wearing BJP scarves, creating an impression of organized political mobilization. The visual evidence suggested systematic coordination rather than spontaneous travel, with specific procedures for checking passenger eligibility. This orchestrated appearance at the railway station immediately attracted political attention and scrutiny from opposition parties who questioned the nature and purpose of such organized movement during an active election period in Bihar.
Passengers Claim Free Tickets from BJP Leadership
In the circulating social media video, multiple passengers made direct claims about receiving complimentary travel tickets. They stated that Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini and local BJP leaders provided them with free one-way tickets specifically to enable them to travel to Bihar and exercise their voting rights. However, the passengers also mentioned that they were given only outbound journey tickets, with no arrangements made for their return travel to Haryana. These statements raised immediate concerns about potential electoral manipulation and violations of election conduct rules. The passengers appeared comfortable making these claims on camera, suggesting either lack of awareness about potential irregularities or confidence in the legitimacy of the arrangement. The video's viral spread on social media platforms turned what might have been a local matter into a state-level controversy, prompting political parties to take official positions. The claims directly contradicted subsequent explanations provided by BJP officials about the nature of the train journey and ticket arrangements.
Congress Demands Election Commission Investigation
Congress leaders swiftly responded to the viral video, making serious allegations against the ruling BJP. Parag Gaba, the urban district president of Congress in Karnal, accused the BJP government of attempting to influence Bihar election results by systematically transporting voters from states under their control. He characterized the organized train departure as part of a broader strategy to manipulate electoral outcomes through coordinated voter movement. The Congress party formally demanded that the Election Commission launch an immediate investigation into the matter to determine if the Model Code of Conduct was violated. Gaba and other Congress representatives raised fundamental questions about whether such politically organized mass transportation of voters during an active election period constituted election interference. They pointed to the visible BJP presence, the use of party scarves, and the systematic list-checking process as evidence of organized political activity. The opposition party called for strict action if violations were confirmed, arguing that electoral integrity depends on preventing such organized efforts to influence voting patterns through facilitated mass movement of voters.
BJP Denies Providing Free Tickets to Voters
Responding to the allegations, BJP district president Praveen Lather firmly denied claims that the party distributed free tickets to passengers. In the same viral video, he was heard contradicting passengers who suggested the party paid for their travel. Lather clarified that all the travelers were BJP party workers belonging to the Purvanchal community, and each individual had purchased their own tickets. He explained his role as limited to organizing the special train in his official capacity as district president, providing logistical coordination for party members who wanted to travel together to Bihar. This explanation attempted to reframe the organized departure as an internal party matter involving dedicated workers rather than a scheme to transport voters. The distinction between facilitating travel for party workers versus providing free tickets to influence voting became the central point of contention. Lather emphasized that the passengers' self-identification as party activists made the coordination legitimate party activity rather than electoral misconduct. However, his explanation did not fully address why passengers on camera claimed they received free tickets or why such organized movement occurred during the sensitive election period.
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