Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel said that he was not invited by the Indian Railways for the inaugural run of India’s sixth edition of Vande Bharat Express between Nagpur-Bilaspur route.

Talking to mediapersons at Police Line Helipad in State Capital before leaving for Mahasamund district, Chief Minister Baghel said, “Indian Railways didn’t invite me for the inaugural ceremony of the Vande Bharat Express. When the train was connecting Chhattisgarh, the Railways could have given an invitation to me. Earlier, also I was not informed about the inauguration of train operation from Antagarh”. The Prime Minister has given a gift to Chhattisgarh after flagging off the Vande Bharat train from Nagpur. But the fare is so high that the common man cannot afford it. Rich people will travel in the Vande Bharat train. The operations of several passenger trains in which the middle class people travel, have been stopped, said Baghel while responding to a query on Vande Bharat train. Operations of 30-40 trains remained suspended for months. Then not a single word came out of the mouth of former Chief Minister and BJP MPs of State. When the Vande Bharat train started, all the BJP leaders of State started praising about the train. Firstly, the fare should be reduced and secondly, why the BJP MPs silent on the 40 trains which have been stopped, said Baghel while congratulating for starting the Vande Bharat train. The Congress leaders demanded to resume the passenger trains that have been suspended, but BJP MP Arun Sao, Rajnandgaon MP and former Chief Minister Dr Raman Singh did not utter a single word to resume the operations of the suspended trains, Baghel said. Replying to another query, Baghel said that the Chhattisgarh Government would celebrate ‘Gaurav Diwas on the completion of four years of the Congress government on December 17. “The four years of the Congress Government have become glorious for farmers, tribals, businessmen and common people. Even during the crisis period, the Congress government has performed well. So State Government has decided to celebrate ‘Gaurav Diwas’. Asked on the old pension scheme, the Chief Minister said that he had instructed the officers to hold a meeting with the officebearers of the government employees’ unions to find a way for the restoration of the old pension scheme. The Government of India is not returning the contribution amount of State Government employees to Chhattisgarh Government and it is creating hurdle in restoration of the old pension scheme, he added.