Woman thrown out of Rail - Mamata, Railway Minister, indifferent

Will didi spare a thought for the living dead?

Raja Bose
27 April 2011, 04:02 PM IST

A michhil (public rally) bringing life to a standstill in Kolkata is nothing to write home about, a part of parcel of life in the city. But, this one was different. One such rally in January this year stood out for its absurdity (or novelty) – depending which side of the “trina” (grass) you wish to view – as Union railway minister, Trinamool Congress leader and CM-aspirant Mamata Banerjee had a sea of supporters carry with them bodies of three of party members killed in a political clash in Midnapore district of West Bengal. The show continued for hours as a shocked and frozen city watched the gruesome spectacle.

What is it in the dead?

About a decade-and-a-half ago, Mamata Banerjee had held a huge rally near Writers’ Buildings in the heart of the city, where theatrics ruled as much as it did during the January march. She had brought on stage a young widow, barely out of mourning after her husband, a mill worker, was killed in a village. The hapless lady collapsed while mumbling a few words in front of the sea of people and blaring loudspeakers.

Banerjee then turned towards a huge bell installed on the podium and pulled a string as gongs played in the background, calling it the death knell of the Left Front government in West Bengal.

But, what about the living dead? As Arunima Sinha, the volleyball player who was allegedly thrown off a running train in Uttar Pradesh by chain snatchers, lies in a bad shape in AIIMS, didi has not had the time to spare for this braveheart. She did not react even when the police heaped counter charges on her, alleging that she is lying.

Though the Government Railway Police (GRP) is technically under the state police and not the Railways, Arunima’s allegations are a telling comment on the Indian Railways and how they are run. It certainly merited an investigation by the Railways itself.

And, at least, a visit by the railway minister. Or, is it that “ma, mati, manush” exist only in West Bengal? Perhaps, that is the truth with Banerjee, like Arjuna, has set her target and probably made herself totally oblivious to any other issue, even if it meant letting an institution like the Railways go to the dogs.

It is sad that Banerjee has reduced the railway ministry to a tool to help her election campaign and ultimately aid her personal goal of sitting on the chief minister’s chair. Budget after Budget, the nation has looked helplessly as she showered goodies on her home state. While trains ran late, passengers were served stale food, accidents took place and trains became increasingly unsafe, didi rode – without a whiff of remorse – on 2011 Up, using all her for that moment of glory she has been dreaming of.

Meanwhile, more Arunimas can get thrown off trains.