Congress President Sonia Gandhi unleashed a scathing attack on the Modi-led NDA government at the Centre for not providing “free train travel to home” for the migrant laborers stranded in different states due to the lock down due to COVID-19. She  that it was alarming, the government that spent over 100 crore an extravaganza in Gujarat to honor Trump (US President),  is unwilling to make the travel free for the migrant workers  stranded  at far off places to reach their home.

In a statement the Congress chief said that the migrant workers and labourers were the “backbone of our economy” and their hard work and Sacrifice were “the foundation of our nation.”

Expressing her concern on migrant travel issue the Congress chief continued her offensive at the Centre and said, “As the Central Government barely gave a four-hour notice of the lockdown, workers and migrant laborers 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 laborers were forced to walk home several hundred kilometers 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. But what is the responsibility of our Government? Even today, lakhs of workers and migrant laborers 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 further said in her statement “Our workers and laborers are the ambassadors of our nation’s growth. When our Government can recognize its responsibility by arranging free air travel for our citizens stranded abroad, when the Government can spend nearly Rs. 100 crores on transport and food etc. for just one public programme in Gujarat, when the Rail Ministry has the largesse to donate Rs. 151 Crores to the PM’s Corona fund, then why can’t these essential members of our nation’s fabric be given a fraction of the same courtesy, especially free rail travel, at this hour of acute distress?”

Sonia said that her party “has been raising this issue from the outset of the lockdown. There needs to be provisions for the safe and free rail travel of migrant workers and laborers to their home-towns. However, despite our repeated demands, the Central Government and the Rail Ministry have chosen to completely ignore the same. “

The Congress chief said, the party has taken a decision that “every Pradesh Congress Committee shall bear the cost for the rail travel of every needy worker and migrant laborer and shall take necessary steps in this regard. This will be the Indian National Congress’ humble contribution in service of our compatriots and to stand shoulder to shoulder in solidarity with them.”