Sena calls bullet train plan PM Modi’s ‘wealthy dream’

NOT IN FAVOUR In an editorial in Saamana, party says the ~1.08lakhcrore project is unnecessary and not for the common man

As Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for the ambitious MumbaiAhmedabad bullet train project, the Shiv Sena slammed his government’s priorities and called the ₹1.08 lakh crore project unnecessary and a dream for the wealthy.

In an editorial in its mouthpiece Saamana, the Sena said the Maharashtra government would have to spend ₹30,000 crore towards the project just to fulfil the “wealthy dream” of Modi.

“The Prime Minister’s dream is not of the common man, but for the interest of the wealthy and the business class,” the editorial read. It also states that the Mumbai local trains are already suffering and the railways are struggling to run basic train services.

“Even as Mumbai local trains suffer daily, a bullet train will be running between Ahmedabad and Mumbai,” the editorial said.

It also pointed out that the bullet train project was being fast tracked even as there were several railway projects in Vidharbha, Konkan and Marathwada that were not implemented.

In a sarcastic vein, the Sena said, “It is not entirely certain as to which problem the bullet train is a solution for.”

The party also accused the Centre of misleading the people of the country by saying that the project would generate employment. Japan was going to fund 80% of the project through a soft loan of ₹79,000 crore at an interest rate of 0.1%.

The editorial stated, “Whoever is saying that the project will generate employment is lying. Right from the screws to tracks from labourers to cement, everything will come from Japan. The bottom line here is that the land and the fund will come from the Maharashtra and the Gujarat governments while the profits will go to Japan. This is loot, yet we are congratulating the Prime Minister on his dreamfulfilling project,” the Sena alleged.