Railways has money for PM-CARES, but not for workers' rail travel: Rahul

Congress will bear the cost for rail travel of every needy migrant worker and labourer to their respective home towns, says Sonia Gandhi

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday hit out at the Central government for charging migrant workers for rail travel during the Covid-19 lockdown.

Citing a media report, Rahul Gandhi said that the Railways is charging migrants for rail tickets at the same time donating money in the PM CARES Fund.

"On the one hand, the Railways is charging ticket fare from migrant workers stranded in various states of the country, on the other hand, the Ministry of Railways is donating Rs 151 crore in PM-CARES Fund. Solve this puzzle!," Rahul Gandhi tweeted in Hindi.

Congress interim President Sonia Gandhi earlier today said that her party will bear the cost for rail travel of every needy migrant worker and labourer to their respective home towns during the lockdown.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray has requested the Centre not to charge any amount from migrant labourers for travelling by train to their native places during the coronavirus-enforced lockdown. "These people have no source of income since last some weeks. Hence, on humanitarian ground, the Centre should not charge them for travelling," he said.

Earlier, Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan had also expressed his displeasure over Railway's move.