The BJP on Monday came down heavily on the Congress for politicising the migrant travel issue saying that “facts are counterintuitive to emotions”. The opposition parties had alleged that the central government ignored the plight of migrant workers by charging them money for their travel back home in Shramik expresses. But, the BJP has refuted the allegations saying that the travel is being borne by Indian Railways and the respective state governments.
The issue snowballed into a big one after Congress President Sonia Gandhi announced that every Pradesh Congress Committee would bear the cost of the rail fare of those travelling. Mr. Rahul Gandhi also tweeted questioning the Railway’s move to charge fares from migrants but contributing Rs. 151 crores to the PM CARES fund.
However, several BJP leaders came out to clarify no migrant worker wanting to return home would be charged for the journey. BJP Spokesperson Sambit Patra tweeted in response to Rahul Gandhi’s tweet that the MHA guideline clearly state that no tickets would be sold at any station and that the Railways has subsidized 85% of the fare with the remaining being borne by the respective state government.
BJP’s Rajya Sabha MP tweeted “ Talked to Piyush Goyal office. The government will pay 85% and state governments 15%. Migrant labour will go free. Ministry will clarify with an official statement.”
