NEW DELHI: The lower house of Indian Parliament (Lok Sabha) Thursday approved the railway budget for 1991-92 after the railway minister, C.K Jaffar Sharif, assured the house that all steps would be taken to improve passenger amenities in the system including maintaining punctuality of trains.
The house also voted the relevant appropriation bill authorizing payment of over Rs.235 billion to the railways for the remaining
Trouble began when the minister referred to the demand and said the govt would sympathetically examine the issue, Immediately left part members were up on their feet demanding a firm assurance on the issue,
Left party members recalled that decision to reinstate the dismissed employees but it could not be implemented as the BJP had withdrawn its support to the National Front government.
They contended that the railway minister in the subsequent govt, Janeshar Mishra, had assured the house of reinstating these employees but could not do so.
They said the Congress (I), as an Opposition party, had then supported this demand and there was no division in the house on the issue.
Article extracted from this publication >> August 2, 1991
