Senior BJP leader Uma Bharti has flagged concerns over what she described as a "lack of practical sensitivity" after she nearly missed her train at Jhansi Railway Station.
In a detailed social media post addressed to Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, Bharti recounted that she managed to board the moving Punjab Mail only after an emergency chain was pulled.
"I had previously written about the insensitivity towards passengers at Mathura Railway Station. Today, while boarding at Jhansi Railway Station with me, another incident occurred in which there was no criminal involved; rather, the lack of practical sensitivity in constructing modern facilities at stations was the cause," she wrote on X.
Bharti said she reached the station early because she could not walk fast and was being taken on a battery cart from platform 1 to platform 4. On the way, a train passed on the track they were to cross, and then a handcart got stuck there, she said, adding it had to be removed manually.
Despite her early arrival, she reported that the train arrived in Jhansi ahead of schedule and departed before its scheduled time. "I do not know who pulled the chain, but I was finally able to get into the train," she said, adding that CCTV footage should be reviewed to assess the sequence of events.
"The CCTVs at Jhansi Railway Station should be reviewed - I had arrived at Jhansi Railway Station before the train's arrival, and this train arrived at Jhansi on time before the scheduled time and departed before the scheduled time," she wrote.
Uma Bharti said she does not blame any individual officer for the incident but pointed to poor planning and coordination in the system. She added that railway officials were aware of her health condition and had arranged help, but poor management still caused delays.
"I do not consider it the fault of the Jhansi Railway officers at all, nor my own—this entire arrangement was operated by the officials running the rails inside the rails. I will tell you again: please pay attention to these disorders," she wrote.
She also urged the Railway Ministry to review how things are handled on the ground so that passengers do not face such inconvenience.
"Leave me aside, but common people, persons with disabilities, the elderly, men and women carrying a lot of luggage, and women with children in their laps become victims of this disarray," she added.
