Tejashwi attacks Centre over shortage of Bihar-bound Chhath trains

As millions of devotees journey home for Chhath Puja, Bihar’s festival of faith and endurance, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav has lashed out at the BJP-led central government, accusing it of failing to run an adequate number of trains for the state’s homebound travellers.

In a strongly worded statement on Monday, 27 October, the former deputy chief minister alleged that thousands of migrants returning to Bihar for the sacred festival were being forced to travel in “inhumane conditions”.

“The people of Bihar, who have already been suffering due to migration under the NDA’s rule, can’t even get proper trains to come home for Chhath. This is extremely painful,” Yadav said, sharing videos that showed overcrowded coaches and passengers packed into aisles and even train toilets.

Yadav accused the railway ministry of misleading the public, claiming that ministers in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government had “blatantly lied” about operating 12,000 of the 13,000 festive special trains for Bihar.

“It’s a cruel joke,” he said. “If 12,000 trains were truly running for Bihar, why are people hanging from doors or sleeping near toilets just to reach home for Chhath?”

Chhath Puja: Was a 'fake' Yamuna ghat created with filtered water for PM Modi? Devotees offer prayers on the banks of the Yamuna during Chhath Puja in New Delhi.

The RJD leader turned his criticism into a campaign pitch, promising to tackle the root cause of Bihar’s exodus — joblessness.

“Next year, when the INDIA bloc comes to power, we will ensure that every family in Bihar gets one government job,” Yadav said. “No one will need to migrate. People will celebrate Chhath right here, with their families, not in despair far from home.”

In a symbolic appeal steeped in cultural sentiment, Yadav urged the returning devotees to “eat thekua and not leave without voting.” The thekua, a sweet offering prepared during Chhath, became in his speech a metaphor for home, belonging, and resistance.

“I request everyone who has come home for Chhath — don’t go back before casting your vote. Let’s build a Bihar where no one has to leave to survive,” he said.

Citing data presented in Parliament, Yadav noted that three crore Biharis were registered as migrants, though he claimed the actual figure, including unregistered workers, might be closer to five crore.

He accused the NDA government of neglecting Bihar’s industrial growth, asserting that “no major industries have been set up in the state in 20 years.”

“The NDA leaders are anti-Bihar,” Yadav charged. “They set up factories in Gujarat and expect votes in Bihar — that can’t happen.”

The RJD leader also took aim at Union Home Minister Amit Shah, recalling his remark that industries couldn’t flourish in Bihar due to lack of land.

“This is an insult to Bihar,” Yadav said. “The people will never forgive such discriminatory treatment.”

Bihar goes to the polls in two phases, on 6 and 11 November, with counting scheduled for 14 November — a contest that Yadav is seeking to turn into a battle for dignity, employment, and the right to come home without struggle.

As festive trains heave under the weight of returning devotees and faith collides with fatigue, Yadav’s message resonates with many — that the right to work and worship at home should not be a privilege, but a promise.

With PTI inputs