The Congress party on Monday said that each of its state units will bear the cost for train travel of every needy worker and migrant labourer, currently stranded in India's various cities due to a nationwide lockdown and struggling to return home.

The party said this was its "humble contribution in service of our compatriots and to stand shoulder to shoulder in solidarity with them".

Congress President Sonia Gandhi, in a statement, said that workers and labourers are the ambassadors of India's growth and asked why they can't be extended " a fraction of the same courtesy" as the ones who were brought back from abroad. 

"When our Government can recognise 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?" she asked. We

The Congress party on Monday said that each of its state units will bear the cost for train travel of every needy worker and migrant labourer, currently stranded in India's various cities due to a nationwide lockdown and struggling to return home.

The party said this was its "humble contribution in service of our compatriots and to stand shoulder to shoulder in solidarity with them".

Congress President Sonia Gandhi, in a statement, said that workers and labourers are the ambassadors of India's growth and asked why they can't be extended " a fraction of the same courtesy" as the ones who were brought back from abroad. 

"When our Government can recognise 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?" she asked. We