Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi on Monday (May 4) slammed the Centre for charging train fare from thousands of migrant workers who are returning home due to the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic.
Sonia said in a statement that workers and labourers are the ambassadors of India's growth and why they can't be extended " a fraction of the same courtesy" as the ones who were brought back from abroad.
"Our workers and labourers form the backbone of our economy. Their hard work and sacrifice are the foundation of our nation. As the Central Government barely gave a four-hour notice of the lockdown, workers and migrant labourers were denied 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 kilometres on foot- without food, without medicines, without money, without transportation, without anything except for the desire to return to their families and loved ones. 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," the Conress interim president said in a statement.
"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. What is particularly disturbing is that the Central Government and the Rail Ministry are charging them for train tickets in this hour of crisis," she added.
Sonia Gandhi also announced that every Pradesh Congress Committee shall bear the cost for the rail travel of every migrant labourer if the government fails to provide support to them. "This will be the Indian National Congress’ humble contribution in service of our compatriots and to stand shoulder to shoulder in solidarity with them," she noted.
