Posters of quack Bangali babas continue to deface the local trains of Western Railway at a time when the state government has already promulgated the anti-black magic and superstition ordinance to put an end to it. Almost all the coaches have been pasted with bills of these babas claiming guaranteed treatment for all sorts of ailments, even the ones that medical scientists are still struggling with.
These posters can still be found in the trains despite the fact that the RPF and railway administration were given clear instructions that anything promoting superstitions, apart from defacing the trains, must be removed.
The rail activists blame the RPF for the same, as these posters are pasted during the nights when the rake is parked inside the car-shed. “I have written so many letters to the GM, DRM and security commissioner of the RPF, but no action has been taken. Therefore, based on my experience, I can say that if the RPF officers show commitment, there will not be a single poster in the coaches,” said rail activist Anees Khan who has been following up on this issue with the rail authorities. Mr Khan further said, “These RPF jawans are hand-in-glove with the miscreants who paste these posters in the yards. They take a hefty bribe and let them go.”
However, senior divisional security commissioner of RPF-WR Rajendra Rupnawar denied this allegation and said, “We have been conducting drives and hundreds of culprits have been prosecuted and fined in the process.”