Alappuzha, May 5: The Kerala government on Monday rejected Congress party’s offer to help the migrant workers by paying for their travel expenses amid coronavirus lockdown. According to reports, Alappuzha District Collector refused to take the cheque of Rs 10 lakh from the District Congress Committee (DCC) as help for migrant workers. DC M Anjana turned down the DCC’s offer by saying that the district authorities have not received any order from the government to accept the money. Indian Railways Tells States to Collect Ticket Fare from Migrant Workers, Other Stranded Travellers of Shramik Trains Amid Lockdown; Read Complete Guidelines and Rules.

Meanwhile, Congress slammed the Kerala government for not accepting the cheque of Rs 10 lakh. DCC president M Liju said that the district unit of the Congress collected the money to pay for the travel expenses of around 1,200 migrant labrourers from Bihar after Sonia Gandhi’s announcement that each party worker will contribute for helping the migrant workers to reach their home, reported The New Indian Express.

On Tuesday evening, a train with 1,140 migrants will leave for Hazaribag in Bihar from Alappuzha. The DCC president also urged the state government to accept the money donated by the party workers. Congress general secretary KC Venugopal lashing out at the state government said that it should shed its false pride and accept the money, reported The Hindustan Times.

On Monday, Congress Interim President Sonia Gandhi said that the Indian National Congress would bear the cost of the rail travel of every needy worker and migrant labourer. She stated that the party has decided that every Pradesh Congress Committee (state units of Congress) shall bear the rail travel cost of the migrant workers and shall take necessary steps in this regard.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 05, 2020 04:18 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).