BJP MLA from Babina, Rajeev Singh, on Thursday addressed the controversy surrounding a scuffle that occurred aboard the Vande Bharat Express on May 19, calling the incident a "misunderstanding" and labelling his supporters' conduct at Jhansi station “unfortunate and unintended.” Singh stated that he was travelling with his wife and children from Delhi to Jhansi and had politely asked a fellow passenger to swap seats so the family could sit together. According to the MLA, the request was met with rudeness and threats, which he said can now be corroborated with video evidence.

A goon aka BJP MLA got into a fistfight with a passenger over a window seat in Vande Bharat, after the passenger refused to give up the seat.

Indian Railways may now have to consider a special reservation system for BJP goons, auto-assigning window seats to them to avoid… pic.twitter.com/4QBn5HRl5h

— Congress Kerala (@INCKerala) June 23, 2025

Singh explained that during the journey, he reached out to the Rail Madad helpline, citing safety concerns. Upon arrival at Jhansi station, the situation escalated further when a group of his local supporters, informed by his security personnel, allegedly assaulted one of the passengers involved in the dispute. The MLA emphasized that he neither instructed nor approved of the confrontation, calling the actions of his supporters “over-enthusiastic.” He also stated that he had filed a non-cognisable report (NCR) with the Government Railway Police on the same evening.

The BJP’s Uttar Pradesh unit issued a show-cause notice to Singh on June 22, asking him to explain his conduct within seven days. The incident has attracted political attention, with opposition parties and former officials demanding strict action. Singh, however, said he has since apologised to the passengers involved, who accepted his regret. No formal complaint has been filed by the affected individuals so far, but the matter remains under police investigation. The episode has reignited discussions on the accountability of elected representatives and the misuse of political influence during public travel.