Former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister and BJP leader Uma Bharti wrote to Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw after she faced inconvinence while trying to board the Punjab Mail at Jhansi railway station on Sunday. Bharti told reporters that she had already reached the station and was being taken in a battery-operated cart from Platform 1 to Platform 4. But during this time, the train reportedly arrived and started leaving earlier than expected. As a result, she could not reach the platform on time and was left behind. Someone from inside the train pulled the emergency chain to stop the train, leading to a temporary halt.
After the incident, Bharti blamed the railway authorities for the confusion and said there was mismanagement at the station. In her letter to the Railway Minister, she asked for an explanation and sought action over what happened.
1. आदरणीय रेल मंत्री जी,
मैंने पूर्व में मथुरा रेलवे स्टेशन की यात्रियों के प्रति संवेदनहीनता की बात लिखी है।
2. मेेरे साथ आज फिर झांसी रेलवे स्टेशन पर चढ़ते हुए एक घटना हो गई जिसमें कोई अपराधी नहीं है बल्कि स्टेशनों पर आधुनिक सुविधाओं के निर्माण में व्यावहारिक संवेदनशीलता का…— Uma Bharti (@umasribharti) April 12, 2026
Uma Bharti says faced similar problem in Mathura
Bharti wrote to the Railway Minister stating that steps should be taken to make travel easier and safer for elderly and disabled passengers, as she faced similar problems earlier at Mathura railway station. She wrote, “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 has also asked for a review of CCTV footage to check what exactly happened during the incident and whether there were any system issues.
Bharti criticises railway modernisation
Uma Bharti criticised the railways, saying that despite modernisation efforts, basic passenger convenience is still being ignored. After missing the Punjab Mail at Jhansi station. Bharti said she had reached on time but faced delays due to poor coordination between modern facilities and on-ground operations.
In her letter to the Railway Minister, she pointed out that while battery-operated carts and upgraded systems exist, practical issues like blocked crossings and misplaced carts caused inconvenience. She said the incident highlights gaps in railway modernisation and urged a review to ensure smoother travel for passengers.