Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday claimed that trains to Bihar are "packed" and tickets are impossible to get, with the journey becoming "inhuman" during the festive season, as he asserted that "helpless travellers" are a living proof of the "NDA's deceitful policies and intentions".
The leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha said safe and respectable travel is a right, not a favour.
"It's a month of festivals - Diwali, Bhai Dooj, and Chhath. In Bihar, these festivals mean more than just faith, but also a yearning to return home - the fragrance of the soil, the affection of family, the warmth of the village," Gandhi said in a post in Hindi on X.
But this yearning has now become a struggle, Gandhi said.
"Trains to Bihar are packed, tickets are impossible to get, and the journey has become inhuman. Many trains are 200% overloaded - people are hanging onto doors and roofs," the former Congress leader said.
The "failed double-engine" government's claims are hollow, he said.
"Where are the 12,000 special trains? Why does the situation worsen every year? Why are the people of Bihar forced to return home in such deplorable conditions every year?" Gandhi said.
{{/usCountry}}"Where are the 12,000 special trains? Why does the situation worsen every year? Why are the people of Bihar forced to return home in such deplorable conditions every year?" Gandhi said.
{{/usCountry}}If employment and a dignified life were available in the state, they wouldn't have to wander thousands of kilometres, he said.
"These are not just helpless travellers; they are the living proof of the NDA's deceitful policies and intentions. Safe and respectable travel is a right, not a favour," Gandhi said.
The Congress leader also shared a video montage of packed stations and trains on one hand, while Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off trains on the other, in a split screen.