'Gadar Express' to be named Pratham Swatantrata Sangram Express

New Delhi, Aug 30 (UNI) Bowing to pressure from several members over naming a new train as 'Gadar Express', Railway Minister Lalu Prasad today agreed to rechristen the train as 'Pratham Swatantrata Sangram Express,' connecting Barrackpore-Kanpur-Jhansi.

The Railway Minister had announced the introduction of 'Gadar Express' to commemorate the 150th year of the first war of Independence in 1857, during the reply to discussions on Supplementary Demand for Grants 2007-2008 in the Lok Sabha on August 23, 2007.

Making a statement in the Lok Sabha today, Mr Prasad said several members in the Rajya Sabha had expressed their reservation over the name 'Gadar Express' which, according to their opinion, had negative connotation.

''Keeping in view the sentiments of the Hon'ble members of Rajya Sabha, I propose to change the name of the train from 'Gadar Express' to 'Pratham Swatantrata Sangram Express', he said.

UNI