Bhim Army leader faces FIR after highlighting railway mismanagement:Questions PM Ashwini Vaishnaw over festival chaos; Bhopal crime branch registers case

Questions raised on social media about railway mismanagement during festivals have turned into a legal case. The Bhopal Crime Branch has registered an FIR against Bhim Army and Azad Samaj Party leader Sunil Astay. From his Twitter (X) handle @SunilAstay, he tagged Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, asking, On Diwali and Chhath Puja, the central government promised 12,000 special trains for people of Bihar… where are those trains? Astay’s post highlighted railway chaos and passenger troubles during festivals, sharing a video from Kalyan railway station in Mumbai. In the video shared by Sunil Astay, thousands of passengers can be seen standing under the scorching sun on the platform, with overcrowded trains and people struggling to return home. He had also made three other related posts. Astay, the former State President of the Azad Samaj Party, has previously contested assembly elections. A case was registered against him on October 23. Direct attack on PM and Railway Minister In his post, Sunil Astay wrote that the scene from Kalyan railway station in Mumbai shows the harsh reality, people from UP and Bihar struggling to return home amid unbearable heat and overcrowding, risking their lives. He said the government’s promise to the public remains unfulfilled and is limited to propaganda. Tagging Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, Astay added that, Public trust can be earned not through announcements, but through real action. FIR registered on RPF’s complaint The FIR was filed based on a complaint by Sub-Inspector Prabhunath Tiwari of the Railway Protection Force (RPF), Bhopal. Tiwari described Astay’s post as ‘misleading, tarnishing the image of the railway administration and the government, and provoking public sentiments.’ In his application, he stated that such posts during the festival season, when millions depend on railway services, aim to spread rumors, disturb peace, and create distrust toward the government. Tiwari attached links and screenshots of four posts made by Astay, claiming the tweets were part of a “well-planned attempt to damage the image of the central government and the railway department.” What was stated in the FIR? Sunil Astay accuses centre of intimidation After the FIR, Sunil Astay, founder member of the Azad Samaj Party and former Bhim Army president, launched a direct attack on the government. He alleged that when he raised the concerns of common people on social media during Diwali and Chhath Puja, the “dictatorial government at the Centre” responded by sending police to his village. Astay said, We raised our voice within the constitutional framework. When people from Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh working in Delhi, Mumbai, and Gujarat were returning home for festivals, trains were overcrowded and chaotic. We only showed that truth on X, but in response, police were sent to my village, people were threatened, and pressure was created to delete the post.