The TMC on Friday alleged that its request for a special train to transport MGNREGA job card holders from West Bengal to New Delhi for a protest against the Centre for “withholding funds” was declined by railway authorities.

The railways, however, said it received the application from IRCTC and not from the party.

The Eastern Railways said the request could not be met due to unavailability of trains.

According to the TMC sources, around 4,000 MGNREGA workers are slated to leave for New Delhi on a special train on September 30 booked by the party.

The TMC claimed that the denial of the special train is “another pitiful attempt” by the BJP to stop MGNREGA beneficiaries from reaching New Delhi.

“Yet another piteous attempt to stop us! The Eastern Railway authorities have denied our request for a special train to take the deprived MGNREGA and Awas Yojana beneficiaries to Delhi. However, their devious tactics won’t deter our commitment to secure Bengal’s rightful dues! Our fight for justice shall reach Delhi under any circumstances. Jitna bhi rokne ki koshish karlo, hum datte rahenge, jhukenge nahi ! (Try how much you can, we will not change and not bow to you)” the party posted on ‘X’.

It also shared an image of the reported letter from Eastern Railways to IRCTC stating that the request for a special train has been examined and that coaches as per the desired rake composition are not available.

TMC general secretary Abhishek Banerjee called it a “testament to BJP’s fear” of the party.

“Shocking display of deceit : The BJP government shamelessly denied to provide a special train after accepting the deposit. This blatant obstruction of WB’s right to protest for rightful dues is a glaring testament to its fear. Love seeing them cower before the people of West Bengal,” he posted on “X”.

A senior Eastern Railway official said no official request was received from any political party. “We had received a request from the IRCTC and we had informed that such a rake is not available”.

The West Bengal BJP unit dubbed TMC allegation against it as “baseless”.

“The BJP has nothing to do with it. The TMC should talk to Railways and stop trying to make a political issue out of everything,” Samik Bhattacharya the spokesman of the state unit of the saffron party said.

“The MGNREGA beneficiaries have come from different districts via road and train. The party (TMC) has arranged their stay at the Netaji Indoor Stadium in Kolkata. Around 4,000 of them were scheduled to travel to New Delhi on a special train booked by the party on September 30. We have also made arrangements for their stay in Delhi,” a TMC leader said.

Banerjee, TMC MPs, MLAs and district-level leaders are slated to pay their respects to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat in the national capital on October 2 on his birth anniversary.

Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee, who is supposed to attend the programme, may not go as she has been advised ten days’ rest by doctors for an injury she suffered on her left knee during a recent trip to Spain and Dubai.

A TMC delegation will meet Union Rural Development Minister Giriraj Singh on October 3 and place before him a memorandum on the non-release of dues under MGNREGA.

(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed – PTI)