Multiple social media accounts of the Indian National Congress (INC) have shared a graphic that consists of an image of women taking a selfie in front of pink buses. The text on the graphic claims that Congress will bring free bus services for women if it is elected to power. The posts have been shared with hashtag #111CongressDubara (111CongressAgain) which is related to the upcoming elections in Punjab. Chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi held office for 111 days before the polls scheduled in February and after Captain Amarinder Singh’s resignation.
The post was shared by Facebook and Twitter accounts of INC Bihar (1, 2) and Himachal Pradesh Congress Sevadal (1, 2).
महिलाओं के लिए फ्री बस सेवा लाएंगे।
महिलाओं को मुफ्त, सुलभ और सुरक्षित बस सेवा मुहैया करवाएंगे।।ये वादे नहीं प्रतिज्ञाएं हैं।#111CongressDubara#Ayegi_Congress pic.twitter.com/E9UlqddD9r
— Bihar Congress (@INCBihar) January 9, 2022
अब महिलाएं नहीं होंगी छेड़खानी का शिकार। महिलाओं के लिए फ्री बस सेवा लाएगी कांग्रेस सरकार।।
ये वादे नहीं प्रतिज्ञाएं हैं।#111CongressDubara pic.twitter.com/tQ9pu50WJq
— Himachal Pradesh Congress Sevadal (@SevadalHP) January 9, 2022
Congress members Saurabh Sinha and Thakor Bhavinsinh also posted this claim.
Image of free bus service in BJP-ruled Assam
Alt News performed a reverse image search using InVID on Microsoft’s Bing. This led us to a January 2021 report by India.com. As per this report, the image is from Assam. The report states, “In a bid to provide free transport service for women and senior citizens, Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal flagged off 25 buses exclusively for women and senior citizens to travel within the city of Guwahati.” It is worth noting that the Assam government is led by the Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) and not INC.
In the same month, Assam chief minister tweeted about this project as well.
CM Shri @sarbanandsonwal flagged off a fleet of 25 Pink Buses under Bhraman Sarathi scheme in presence of Industry & Transport Minister Shri @cmpatowary in Guwahati.
Under this scheme, women & senior citizens can avail free bus services for their commute within Guwahati. pic.twitter.com/YPUkS8tgqL
— Chief Minister Assam (@CMOfficeAssam) January 9, 2021
This scheme is a part of the Bhraman Sarathi Scheme first presented in the 2020-2021 Assam State Budget on March 6, 2020, by the ex-finance minister of Assam Himanta Biswa Sarma. Under this scheme, women and senior citizens can get the benefit of free bus journeys in specified routes within Guwahati.
Readers should note that the INC-led Punjab government also introduced a similar scheme in March 2021.
To sum it up, Congress used images of a free bus service initiative by the BJP-led Assam government as an initiative that Congress will bring upon its election in Punjab.
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