Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Monday attacked the government for charging train tickets from migrant labourers going back to their homes and announced that her party will bear the cost for the rail travel of all such workers stranded due to the coronavirus lockdown.
In a statement, she said it is disturbing that the central government and the rail ministry are charging them for train tickets in this hour of crisis.
“But what is the responsibility of our government? Even today, lakhs of workers and migrant labourers are languishing in different parts of the country and wish to return to their homes and families but there is neither adequate money nor provision for free transport,” Gandhi said.
Referring to the “Namaste Trump” event in Ahmedabad on February 24, Gandhi said when the government could spend nearly Rs 100 crore on transport and food for just one public programme in Gujarat, arrange free air travel for Indians stranded abroad and when the rail ministry has the largesse to donate Rs 151 crore to the PM’s Corona fund why can’t free rail travel be provided to migrant workers at this hour of acute distress.
“Our workers and labourers form the backbone of our economy and the ambassadors of our nation’s growth. Their hard work and sacrifice are the foundation of our nation,” she added.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi too attacked the central government for charging train tickets from migrants. “On one hand, railways is charging fare from migrant labourers stuck in other sates, and on the other hand, the railways ministry is donating Rs 151 crore in PM-CARES fund. Please solve this riddle,” Rahul Gandhi said on Twitter in Hindi.
Sonia Gandhi, meanwhile, said in her letter that the central government barely gave a four-hour notice of the lockdown, thus denying workers and migrant labourers the opportunity to return to their homes.
“Post the partition of 1947, this is the first time India witnessed a tragedy with such a massive human cost as thousands of migrant workers and labourers were forced to walk home several hundred km on foot- without food, without medicines, without money, without transportation, without anything except for the desire to return to their families and loved ones,” she said.
“The very thought of their plight is enough to break our hearts as there was also the outpouring of support from fellow Indians for their inspiring resolve.”
Gandhi said the Congress has been raising this issue from the outset of the lockdown and sought provisions for the safe and free rail travel of migrant workers and labourers to their home-towns.
“However, despite our repeated demands, the central government and the rail ministry have chosen to completely ignore the same,” she added.
Gandhi said the Congress has taken a decision that all its state units will bear the cost for the rail travel of every needy worker and migrant labourer and take necessary steps in this regard.
“This will be the Congress’ humble contribution in service of our compatriots and to stand shoulder to shoulder in solidarity with them,” she said.
Shortly after her letter, Congress treasurer Ahmed Patel asked all the state units to mobilise all possible local resources. “As directed by Congress President,in my capacity as Treasuer (AICC) I request Pradesh Congress Committees to mobilise all possible local resources to help migrants purchase tickets to get back home,” Patel said on Twitter.
He added that it’s time to turn this into a people’s movement.