VIP culture?: Train delayed after Union minister Vijay Sampla arrives late at Jalandhar station
A train travelling from Jalandhar to Ajmer left late after Vijay Sampla, the Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment, couldn't make it on time.
In Short
- Sampla also heads the Punjab unit of the BJP.
- He couldn't make it on time because he had some personal work.
- One the passengers tweeted Railways Minister Suresh Prabhu about the delay, sources said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi may have promised to put an end to 'VIP culture', but his Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment, Vijay Sampla, delayed a train in Jalandhar City Railway Station on Sunday evening - because he was late.
Vijay Sampla , who also heads the Punjab unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), was a passenger on the Ajmer Express (train number 19614).
The train was scheduled to leave for Ajmer at 7:10 pm but left eight minutes late.
Sampla couldn't make it on time because he had some personal work.
One of the passengers tweeted Railways Minister Suresh Prabhu about the delay, sources said.
'MINISTER'S P.A. ASKED GUARD TO STOP THE TRAIN'
"The Minister's PA (Bharat Bhushan Verma) reached the break room and asked the guard to stop the train as the Minister was late for a few minutes ," Station Superintendent Rakesh Bahal, who conducted a probe, told India Today.
The Divisional Railway Manager, Ferozepur marked the probe to the Deputy Operations Manager - Sudhir Kumar Singh - who's also the administrative authority.
Sudhir Kumar confirmed the probe, and said the the interference of Sampla's PA had caused the delay.
"The guard had lowered the signal meanwhile the PA of the minister approached him. He called back the Station Superintendent to confirm whether there were any such orders from the Railway Authorities to stop the train. The officials clarified to him that there were no such orders," Sudhir Kumar told India Today.
"The communication between the guard and the Station Superintendent delayed the train for a few minutes. Meanwhile, the minister also reached and boarded the train. The probe is over and I have recommended administrative action against the guard," he added.
NO ACTION TAKEN AGAINST SAMPLA OR HIS P.A.
While the train guard was made a scapegoat by railway authorities, no action was taken against Sampla or his PA
Vijay Sampla wasn't available for comment, and phone calls made to him - or text messages - weren't attended.
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