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No hike in train passenger, freight fares

     New Delhi: Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav today introduced 46 new trains, increased the frequency of 27 existing trains and also announced there would be no increase in the freight and passenger fares in Budget 2005-06. The Minister also announced activation of a reformed reservation system. He said, "From now onwards, the reservation counters will keep open from 4:30 in the morning till 11:30 at night. Other reforms on the system of reservation are also in the pipeline, he added. He also said that freight-carrying trains would soon be joined to the electric network and plans for the speedy development of the Railways's initiative "Railtel". Some of the new trains he announced are Udiapur-Nizammudin, Madgaon-Mangalore, Jabalpur to Bhopal, Muzzafarpur-Howrah, Bilaspur-Tirupati, Chennai-Bangalore and Chennai-Sikandarbad.

Heated exchanges in Parliament (Go To Top)

     New Delhi: President Dr APJ Abdul Kalam would be a sad person, like any other average Indian, if he was watching the direct relay of the presentation of Rail Budget in Parliament by Lalu Prasad Yadav. "Oh Parliamentarians, the sculptors of Mother India, Lead us unto light, enrich our lives," said Dr. Kalam, quoting from one of his poems in Tamil. Even before the ink of his speech in newspapers dried up, NDA members led by Opposition leader in the House L.K. Advani and Lalu Prasad Yadav had an exchange of words, as Speaker Somnath Chatterjee warned the agitated opposition members of stern action. The NDA had decided to boycott Lalu's speech as part of its strategy to step up offensive against 'tainted' ministers in the UPA government. "I will suspend you, it is not a market place" warned Somnath Chatterjee, as he tried to bring some order, before Lalu could begin is budget speech. Chatterjee even asked the treasury benches to move a motion to suspend the erring members. Lalu too did not lag behind. He gestured the BJP members to get out of the House, because it was already decided by the NDA. "They can only show the back, they can't face the House," chided Lalu gesturing them to leave the House, so that he can go ahead with his speech. "I am going to place the Godhra Report after the Rail Budget," said Lalu adding that the BJP wants to cover up their deeds by raising the 'tainted ministers' issue. As the House assembled in the morning, BJP members were on their feet. But the Speaker allowed Advani to make a statement. Advani referred to the observations of the Supreme Court on the tainted ministers issue, which did not find favour with Chatterjee.

'Jaiye bahar, pith dikhaiye', Lalu bellows at NDA (Go To Top)

     New Delhi: The Railway Budget 2005-06 predictably got off to a noisy start on Saturday with the opposition NDA creating a noisy ruckus in the house ahead of its presentation. So much so, that an entreating Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee had to repeatedly stand up from his chair to ask the members to let the House proceedings go on, and had to eventually warn some of the members about the possibility of being suspended if they continued with their shouting. While Lalu, who is presenting his second Railway budget, repeatedly asked the NDA members to leave the house, Chatterjee had to repeatedly shout out "Bait Jao ! Bait Jao! Please sit down! I won't allow this! I will suspend you! "Jaiye bahara, pith dikhaiye" (get out, show your backs), Lalu told the opposition members. "Aap log jaiye, aise kaise budget pesh Karen. Kaam karne dijiye," he added. Flanked by Union Ministers Sharad Pawar and T.R.Baalu, the minister and RJD chief commenced reading of the budget by stating that he would table the Justice U.C.Banerjee report on 2002 Godhra Train carnage after presenting the budget. As soon as Lalu stood up to present his budget, the opposition raised the 'tainted ministers' issue at full throttle. Repeated requests by the Speaker Somanth Chaterjee fell on the deaf ears of the opposition. He even threatened some opposition members with suspension, but this had no effect. Members of the BJP, led by V.K.Malhotra took the initiative in opposing the rail budget. Leader of Opposition in the house, L.K.Advani also requested the Speaker to let his fellow members raise some relevant points, but the Speaker refused to heed to his demand, saying that only the Railway Budget and the speech of Lalu Prasad will go on record. "I will not allow to be dictated, this is not the right opportutnity to raise the issue. Nothing else except Lalu's speech will go on record," said the Speaker.

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