Cong to bear cost of rail travel of every needy migrant worker: Sonia Gandhi
New Delhi: The Congress on Monday said its state units will bear the cost of rail travel of needy home-bound migrants stranded at various places across the country due to the coronavirus-induced lockdown.
Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, in a statement, announced the party's decision and said this would be the Congress' humble contribution in standing shoulder to shoulder with these workers who are nation-builders and are the backbone of the country's economy.
She also released an emotional video message to the migrant workers and labourers extending them all help while criticising the Centre for not coming to their aid.
In the video, she described a farmer as one who feeds the nation while workers are nation-builders. She hoped they will all reach their loved ones as soon as possible, and quoted Mahatma Gandhi's saying "the best way to find oneself is to devote oneself to the service of others".
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi also tweeted in Hindi, "On one hand, the railways is charging ticket fares from labourers stranded in other states, while on the other hand, the Railway Ministry is donating Rs 151 crore to the PM-Cares Fund. Just resolve this puzzle."
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said the workers are nation-builders and today they (workers) are suffering and this should be a reason for pain for the whole country".
She questioned when the government can bring back stranded Indians free of cost by air, or Namaste Trump' can spend Rs 100 crore from the state treasury, why can't train fares of migrants be paid.
Terming the party decision as historic , AICC general secretary K C Venugopal and chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said Congress state units will pay the cost of train travel of migrants to state chief secretaries.
The two leaders also urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to shed his "false prestige" and come forward in paying for the travel of migrants returning home.
They said the party had taken the decision after many such workers and labourers did not have money to pay for their tickets.
Meanwhile, the BJP accused the Congress of doing politics on the issue and claimed the central and state governments were bearing the cost of such train travels and no fare was charged from the migrants.
Venugopal, however, read out a circular stating state governments will pay the railways after collecting fares from migrant workers.
Sonia Gandhi also accused the Centre and the railways of completely ignoring their demand for free travel of migrants.
"There needs to be provisions for the safe and free rail travel of migrant workers and labourers to their home towns. However, despite our repeated demands, the central government and the railway ministry have chosen to completely ignore the same.
"The Indian National Congress (INC) has, therefore, taken a decision that every Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) shall bear the cost for the rail travel of every needy worker and migrant labourer and take necessary steps in this regard," she said in a statement.
Congress treasurer Ahmed Patel also tweeted, "I request Pradesh Congress Committees to mobilise all possible local resources to help migrants purchase tickets to get back home. Let us make this into a people's movement, please contact AICC if you require assistance."
Congress leader P Chidambaram said, "Congress president's decision to direct PCCs to bear the cost of rail transport for migrant workers is a historic decision. Puts the government of India to shame".
Sonia Gandhi further said, "But what is the responsibility of our government? Even today, lakhs of workers and migrant labourers 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 Railway Ministry are charging them for train tickets in this hour of crisis," she said.
The Congress chief added that this is for the first time post-partition that India witnessed a tragedy as thousands of migrants were forced to walk home.
Venugopal said directions have been given to state PCCs to coordinate with state chief secretaries and the railways to arrange for train fare of migrants.
"We are not going to have registration of migrant labourers as it will add to the confusion. We do not want to play politics in this. Those who are having no money are unable to travel in these trains, that is why, our Karnataka PCC has paid for them. Same thing was done in Kerala, he said.
Surjewala urged the government to wake up from its slumber and come to the aid of migrants.
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Four of family found dead in Maharashtra’s Nanded district in suspected mass suicide
Nanded (PTI): A farmer, his wife and their two sons were found dead in two different locations in Maharashtra’s Nanded district on Thursday morning, in what police suspect to be a mass suicide, an official said.
Around 8 am, the bodies of Ramesh Sonaji Lakhe (51) and his wife Radhabai Lakhe (45) were discovered on a cot in their home at Jawala Murar village in Mudkhed tehsil, he said.
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The bodies of their sons, Umesh (25) and Bajrang (23), were subsequently found on nearby railway lines. It appears they jumped in front of a speeding train, the official said.
Police inspector Dattatray Manthale told reporters, “The parents were found dead inside their home, while the sons took their lives on the railway tracks. We have asked a Forensic Science Laboratory team to collect evidence. The truth will come out only after a thorough technical investigation and autopsy.”
While the nature of their death appears to be part of a suicide pact, police said the exact circumstances remain unclear.
The family belonged to the small-scale farming community, but it is not yet confirmed if financial distress or a domestic crisis triggered the extreme step, the official said.
Neighbours described the Lakhes as a hardworking family who struggled against the odds of small-land farming to sustain themselves.
The Nanded rural police are recording statements of relatives and checking for notes or final messages left by the family.
