Noted agricultural scientist and Rajya Sabha MP M.S. Swaminathan on Saturday called upon Railway Minister Mukul Roy to arrange free rail travel for the people of the northeast from Guwahati and other places back to their destinations across the country as a gesture to those affected by recent developments.
In a letter to Mr. Roy, Dr. Swaminathan suggested the need to operate special trains from Guwahati and other locations in the northeast to help those who had fled from places like Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad and Pune, to return and recommence their vocation as students and job-holders.
Stressing it was only expected that those psychologically traumatised by the recent developments would like to be with their near and dear ones, Dr. Swaminathan said the best method of atonement would be to ‘walk them back to their destinations.’
He hoped the Railways would serve them food free of charge.
