'Easy Travel Or Photo With Shahenshah?': Rahul Targets Centre Over Selfie Booths At Railway Stations

Launching a scathing attack on the government, Rahul Gandhi said the train fares were increased for setting up selfie stands at the railway stations.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi

New Delhi: Taking a swipe at the Centre for putting up selfie booths at railway stations with life-size cutouts of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi asked if the people wanted easy rail travel or a picture with the “Shahenshah's statue”.

Launching a scathing attack on the government, Gandhi said the train fares were increased for setting up selfie stands at the railway stations.

Taking to X, he wrote, “Fares for every class of 'Garibo Ki Sawaari', Indian Railways have been increased. Even the fare concession given to the elderly was withdrawn. Platform ticket prices were increased and paving the way for privatisation.”

‘गरीबों की सवारी’ भारतीय रेल के हर वर्ग का किराया बढ़ाया गया,

किराए में बुजुर्गों को मिलने वाली छूट तक खत्म कर दी गयी,

प्लेटफार्म टिकट के दाम बढ़ाए गए,
निजीकरण के द्वार खोल दिये गए

जनता की मेहनत की कमाई से निचोड़ा जा रहा यह पैसा क्या ‘सेल्फी स्टैंड’ बनाने के लिए था?

भारत… pic.twitter.com/avjCFQ731U

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) December 30, 2023

"Was this money, which is being squeezed out of the public's hard-earned money, for making a selfie stand? What do the people of India want? Cheap gas cylinders and easy rail travel? Or Picture with 'shahenshah's statue',” Gandhi wrote.

Rahul Gandhi's post came days after Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge criticised the government over setting up selfie booths at railway stations with photographs of PM Modi and termed the act as a "brazen waste" of taxpayers' money while the Opposition-ruled states await MNREGA funds.

Taking to X, Kharge wrote, “Self-obsessed promotion by Modi Govt knows NO bounds! Modi Govt hasn’t provided drought and flood relief to states. MGNREGA funds for opposition-ruled states are also pending. But it has the audacity to generously splurge public money on these cheap election stunts!”

Self-obsessed promotion by Modi Govt knows NO bounds!

Absolutely brazen waste of taxpayers money by installing Modi ji’s 3D selfie points at Railway Stations. (RTI Reply)

Earlier, the blood and sacrifice of our brave soldiers was politically used by ordering the Armed Forces… pic.twitter.com/HEYo8OqmOo

— Mallikarjun Kharge (@kharge) December 26, 2023

He also shared a Right To Information (RTI) response from the Central Railway on the selfie booths.