From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network
Bengaluru, May 4: After successfully prevailing upon the B S Yediyurappa-led BJP government in Karnataka to withdraw the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) decision to charge to and fro journey cost of migrant labourers for their travel following the relaxation of COVID 19 lockdown and finally deciding to offer free travel facility till May 7, the State Congress has now sought to up the ante by offering to pay for the rail travel costs of arranging Shramik Special Trains to bring back stranded people from different States.
The Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC), which had offered to pay Rs 1 crore and even presented a cheque for the amount to KSRTC, has now said it is ready to bear the monetary costs to be paid to Indian railways for arranging special trains to bring back people of the state stranded in different states.
D K Shivakumar
On the suggestion of the Congress party high command, KPCC President D K Shivakumar and Leader of the Opposition in the State Assembly Siddaramaiah have in a letter to Chief Secretary T M Vijay Bhaskar, urged the State Government to arrange special trains to bring back people of Karnataka who have been stranded in different states.
“We are ready to bear the monetary costs to be paid to the Railways in our effort to help the cause Kannadigas and Karnataka. The State government may negotiate with the railways to strike a good deal so that more people can be brought back home. This would be a one-time effort,’’ they said in the letter.
It remains to be seen how the Yediyurappa regime and the Narendra Modi government responds to the initiative of the State Congress as similar offers were likely to be made by Congress party units in other States as well.