The special train, full of BJP youth activists, was stopped near Ahmednagar by Maharashtra police and sent back to Karnataka as the Centre and J&K government had announced that political activists from other states would not be allowed to create mischief.
This is one ride state BJP workers will never forget. Hundreds of BJP workers from Karnataka, who were headed north to Kashmir to hoist the national flag on Republic Day at Lal Chowk in Srinagar, found themselves back in south after Maharashtra police and railway officials refused to allow the train to proceed to its destination.
The special train, full of BJP youth activists, was stopped near Ahmednagar by Maharashtra police and sent back to Karnataka as the Centre and J&K government had announced that political activists from other states would not be allowed to create mischief.
Trouble began even before the train reached Maharashtra. When the train arrived in Ganagapura station, Gulbarga district, the protesters assaulted some of the Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel at the station. As the situation turned tense, the police lathi-charged and dispersed the protesters.
When the train arrived at Ahmednagar, railway officials blacked out the lights. Taking cover of the darkness, they detached the train's engine and attached it to the rear of the train.
Two more bogies with RPF personnel were attached to the train, and around 1.30 am, it started, – but, of course, in the reverse direction, back to Karnataka.
For the BJP workers, many of them fast asleep, it was too late. By the time they realised, the train was at Nagansur station on the Maharashtra-Karnataka border.
Chief minister BS Yeddyurappa condemned the action of the Maharashtra police. “I will write to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, demanding action against the Maharashtra government for preventing these patriots from hoisting the national flag,” the chief minister said.
A railway official said that “the drastic measure was implemented in order to avoid any untoward situation in Maharashtra.”
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