DK Shivakumar, the president of the KPCC (Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee), has given Rs 1 crore cheque to KSRTC for ensuring Free Transport to our working class and labour people.
The Karnataka government allowed the KSRTC to ferry the workers and labourers stranded in Bengaluru to their place on Saturday. But it demanded exorbitant bus fares from poor migrants. The government reduced this amount to normal fares after it faced a lot of criticism from media and public.
The Congress had criticised it for making migrants pay for their travel.
Is the government so poor to help these poor people? These workers, migrants, those from the unorganized sector are being asked to pay thousands of rupees as bus charge. The Centre is sending planes to Dubai, China, but these people have no earnings. You aren't even giving them food for their overnight journeys," said DK Shivakumar.
A day later, along with former CM Siddaramayya and other party leaders, the KPCC president met the migrant workers at the Kempe Gowda Bus Stand on Sunday to hear their grievances. DK Shivakumar handed over Rs 1 crore cheque from the KPCC to the KSRTC and requested to provide free transportations to them.
DK Shivakumar tweeted the KPCC's request letter and wrote, "Giving ₹1 crore cheque to KSRTC from the KPCC for ensuring Free Transport to our working class & labour people who are suffering to reach home because of the rates being charged by the Karnataka Govt. Govt should let us know if they need more, the KPCC will fulfill that as well."
Later, DK Shivakumar added, "ಪ್ರಯಾಣಿಕರಿಗೆ ಉಚಿತ ಸಾರಿಗೆ ವ್ಯವಸ್ಥೆ ಕಲ್ಪಿಸಲು ಕೆಪಿಸಿಸಿಯು ಕೆಎಸ್ಆರ್ಟಿಸಿ ಎಂಡಿಗೆ 1 ಕೋಟಿ ರುಪಾಯಿ ಚೆಕ್ ನೀಡಿದೆ. Bus facilities for those wanting to go home has been very inadequate. Thousands are suffering without food & water at bus stands. Karnataka Govt must wake up to their sufferings.
However, the Karnataka government got alert after coming under fire from all sections. In a statement released on Sunday, Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa said that he has directed the state-run KSRTC to provide free travel for all the labourers, who wish to return to their homes.
