Even as his party has been up in arms against Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the migrant labourers issue, Leader of the Congress party in Lok Sabha, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, has appreciated Mr. Modi’s “sincere attempts” to bring back those stranded to their homes.
Mr. Chowdhury, the five-time MP from West Bengal’s Berhampore Lok Sabha seat, in a letter to the PM last night, urged him to reduce the rate of tickets, if not make it free, keeping in view the fact that these labourers are facing severe financial problems.
“I do like to appreciate your sincere attempt of sending back stranded persons, which include migrant workers, patients and their family, students, pilgrims and tourists, to their native places by announcing 300 special trains,” Mr. Chowdhury wrote in the letter.
“The migrant workers and those grounded away from their home are now facing a severe financial crunch. They cannot afford the fare, which is quite high and beyond their reach,” he said.
“Please consider the reduced rates of tickets, if not free travel,” the former minister of state for railways wrote.
Mr. Chowdhury also made a request to add non-AC coaches along with the air-conditioned ones of the special passenger trains as common passengers are unable to purchase the high-priced tickets.
The Congress, which has repeatedly slammed the Modi government for poor handling of the problems faced by the stranded labourers, has already announced that all its State units will bear the cost of rail travel of the needy migrant workers and labourers stranded at their workplaces due to coronavirus-induced lockdown and seeking to return home.
