Shramik Special trains were started to take home lakhs of stranded migrant labourers and their families to their hometown. Many of them have run of out of money and food because of the restrictions imposed to combat the Covid 19. The relief mesaures have been ill planned. Those coming from Surat in Gujarat have alleged that they were charged Rs 800 against a ticket with a printed cost of Rs 630. The labourers said they had no choice but to pay the money if they wanted to return. 

This is the money that the migrants cannot even afford to pay at this time. In response, the opposition Chief, Sonia Gandhi, said that the Congress party will pick the tab for the ticket costs. The Centre, among other cover ups, defended itself and said the cost was being subsidised. It stated that the migrant workers were never asked to pay with even the Union health ministry’s joint secretary Lav Agarwal claimed that the Centre was bearing 85% of the ticket cost. And yet the interviews and pictures tell a different story.