New Delhi: Across parties, MPs who are from Maharashtra came together in the Lok Sabha to angrily ask why the Railways Minister, Mamata Banerjee, was not present to discuss the Mumbai local train crisis.
Banerjee, who is also the chief of the Trinamool Congress, is in her home state of West Bengal to handle preparations for the Kolkata municipal polls (today is the last day for filing nominations).
In the Lok Sabha, Shiv Sena members trooped into the well, flashing placards saying 'Mumbai comes to a grinding halt' as they raised the issue of a gigantic strike by motormen that has hit Mumbai's local trains.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister P K Bansal said that the government would deliver a statement on the strike before the end of the day, which did not pacify the Opposition.
Commenting on the strike, former Railways Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav said, "When we talked, during my time, they stopped the strikes. Overtime should be given...we're all with them. Keeping the difficulties of common people in mind, Mamata (Banerjee) should come when time permits, and finish off this matter."
The Left also expressed concern over the alleged imposition of Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA). Commenting on the issue, Gurudas Dasgupta said, "The Mumbai people, they're in serious difficulty. But that's not the issue. I want to know from government who gave the order for ESMA. It's a draconian issue. It won't be tolerated. It will never be tolerated. Who's given the order for retrenchment? I am warning government, if it wants to deal with workers...it will have to face united struggle of workers of the country...negotiations should be done."
Blaming the Railway Ministry for the strike, the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) Gopinath Munde said, "The Railway Ministry is responsible for this. The ministry is sleeping. More than 60 lakh commuters are facing a huge problem, and the situation there has gone out of control. We have decided that till the Railways do not start, even the House will not resume. We will not allow it."