Migrants being charged for train tickets, says Kamal Nath

Senior Congress leader and former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Kamal Nath on Saturday alleged migrants stranded in the coronavirus-induced lockdown were being charged for train tickets, contrary to claims made by the BJP-led governments at the Centre and here.

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Nath also shared a video in which a person can be seen claiming he was charged Rs 575 for a migrant special train going to Darbhanga in Bihar from Bhopal's Habibganj station.

"The Centre and the state government are making big claims that special trains are being run to send the migrant workers and the poor home, and that no fare is being charged from them, while the truth is contrary," Nath tweeted on Saturday while sharing a video.

In the video, a person is seen stating he was given a token against Rs 575 for each ticket for Darbhanga-bound train from Bhopal's Habibganj station, and that officials said the ticket against this token would be given at the railway station.

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"Many such cases have also come up in the past, in which money was realised for the rail tickets. Now, another method has been found by the state to charge for the tickets. This is the picture of Bhopal, where tokens are being given after charging ticket money. The extent of shamelessness - this is their reality," Nath said in another tweet.

On the other hand, state BJP vice president and party MLA Rameshwar Sharma termed the allegation as "politically motivated".

"The MP government is not charging any money from any passenger. The Congress is desperate after the party's general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's failed attempt to defame the UP government. This is a conspiracy," Sharma told PTI.

Sharma said this was not the time for politics and Congress should have a constructive approach.

No state government official was available for comment.