Sawant protests over Railways' 'late' invites; BJP takes a dig

Shiv Sena MP Arvind Sawant today slammed the Railway authorities for sending invitations of rail-related events to his party MPs at the "eleventh hour" and registered his protest by wearing a black scarf at a function here.
However, Sena's ruling ally BJP taunted Sawant saying that public representatives should keep their ego aside when it comes to larger public good as "providing facilities to people was more important".
"I have noticed that whenever Railway administration organises such functions, the parliamentarians, especially from Shiv Sena, are invited at the eleventh hour. This is not acceptable...This is why I have donned a black scarf to register my protest," Sawant said.

The Shiv Sena leader was talking to PTI after attending the inauguration ceremony of a platform and booking office at the Bandra Terminus, inaugurated by Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu via video conference today.
He also alleged that although the issue has been brought to the notice of Prabhu, no corrective step has been taken in this regard so far. Sawant even warned of launching a "Shiv Sena-style" protest over it.
The first-time MP said, "Nine times out of ten, we are invited at a very short notice. Railway officials have forgotten that we have other social and political commitments and we need to be informed well in advance."

Clarifying that he was not against any railway project per se, Sawant said he was opposed to the way they are being launched with a "well-thought out plan of keeping Sena representatives away" from such functions.

"I have informed Suresh Prabhu about this delay in sending out invites to Sena MPs, but as usual he has done nothing," Sawant said, adding, "If Railway officials do not stop this practice soon, then we will handle it in Shiv Sena's trademark style in the near future."
Expressing disappointment over the Sena MP's comments, Mumbai BJP president Ashish Shelar said nothing was more important than development and such incidents (protest by Sawant) could have been avoided.

Shelar said that providing facilities to people was more important than following protocol or giving respect.
"When public amenities are being inaugurated, then one should set aside personal egos and avoid such unpleasant incidents," he said.
Shelar also taunted Sawant saying that in the past, the elected representatives could be seen staging protests for development works not being done. "But now, when every week a development work is being inaugurated, for the first time one saw an elected representative protesting against it," he said.
"Peoples' representatives should keep their personal
prestige issues aside and engage in fabulous development works Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu has done. There cannot be a bigger honour than the convenience of public," Shelar said.

He, however, added that the Railway administration should have respected the MPs and elected representatives and if that has not happened, then the officials have definitely erred.
When contacted, a senior Railway official said the public representatives concerned are generally invited as and when the announcements about such events are made.
"The announcement of today's event was made at a very short notice and immediately after getting the nod from the Railways higher-ups, we got the invitation cards printed and dispatched to all the dignitaries concerned," Mukul Jain, DRM of Mumbai Division of Western Railway, said.