A Bihar MLA who is in the news after fellow passengers on a train objected to his wearing only a vest and briefs stated on Friday that he was so clad because he had an urgent need to use the restroom.
Pictures of Gopal Mandal, who is from the State’s ruling party Janata Dal (United), wearing only minimal clothing on a train journey were shared on social media. He allegedly verbally abused a co-passenger who had raised an objection.
A fellow passenger has lodged a complaint against the MLA with the government railway police at New Delhi railway station for “misbehaving and snatching of gold items”.
The MLA had been travelling on the Patna-New Delhi Tejas Express in the A-1 coach on September 2, it is learnt.
“Yes, I had an upset stomach when I was travelling in the train and there was an urgent need to go to the washroom, so I couldn’t wear anything else. But I was wearing a full brief not the short one, and my vest was long. I do not lie,” said Mr. Mandal, who represents the Gopalpur constituency in Bhagalpur district.
During the train journey, Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel and the ticket examiner had to intervene to calm the situation that emerged after passengers objected to the MLA’s clothing. Mr. Mandal said there had been no female passengers in the coach.
“I accept that it should not have happened. I’ve been an MLA for four terms but I had an urgent need to go to the washroom, so I couldn’t put on other clothes,” he said.
