Congressman VK Sreekandan's poster on Vande Bharat triggers controversy; MP denies role, warns workers

Widespread protests broke out before the inaugural run was finished after a Congress worker stuck Palakkad Member of Parliament (MP) VK Sreekandan's posters on a bogie's glass window.  

Thrissur: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday gave the go-ahead for the Vande Bharat Express to depart for Kerala. Widespread protests broke out before the inaugural run was finished after a Congress worker stuck Palakkad Member of Parliament (MP) VK Sreekandan's posters on a bogie's glass window

The incident took place when the train arrived at Shoranur station on Tuesday. The thank-you posters for the Congress MP were promptly torn down by the Railway Police Force (RPF). Earlier, Sreekandan stepped in and submitted a letter to the Union Railway Minister after Vande Bharat was denied a stop at Shoranur station. 

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Krishnadas urged that a case be filed against VK Sreekandan for attempting to sabotage an international standard train by putting his own poster on the day of its launch.  BJP-affiliated Yuva Morcha raised a complaint following which RPF registered a case. 

The Congress MP, however, denied any involvement in the incident on behalf of party workers. At the Shoranur station, the MP and Congress workers had assembled to greet the train. He claimed to have been unaware of the posters' placement and promised to warn the workers. He added that the BJP is spreading misinformation on social media. 

Workers from the Congress arrived at the station carrying placards to express their gratitude to VK Sreekanthan for exerting pressure on the Central government to permit the Vande Bharat Express train to halt at Shoranur. Party workers posed outside the wet coach for photos just before the train departed the station. Due to rain, the posters were glued to the train's wet glass window. A lot of criticism was levelled at the MP when the images were extensively shared on social media. 

The Congress MP previously made a vow to raise a red flag in front of the train if a stop at Shoranur was not announced before the train's launch. In case the decision made by the Railways is unfavourable, the Congress also intended to mobilize a significant protest.