Rahul Gandhi is back to slam Centre, says government is benefitting during a disaster

New Delhi, July 25: With a new topic, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday slammed the "anti-poor" government for what he said was earning a profit during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic in the country.

Rahul Gadnhi's tweet came after the railways ministry said the Indian Railways generated Rs 429.90 crore revenue through fares collected for Shramik Special trains till July 9.

"There are 'clouds' of the disease, people are in trouble, one can make benefits - the anti-poor government is earning by turning a disaster into profit," The Wayanad MP posted a tweet in Hindi.

Meanwhile, it can be seen the railways started operating the trains from May 1 to ferry migrant workers stranded in cities back to their villages after the nation-wide lockdown.

According to reprots, a senior ministry official said that the national carrier, had allagedly spent around Rs 2,400 crore in operating Shramik Trains, adding that the revenue generated "should be taken as receipt only in lieu of expenses incurred by the railways in running of Shramik trains".

In June, the ministry said the average cost of fares for migrants aboard Shramik Special trains was Rs 600 and added that it spent around Rs 3,400 per person to operate the train.

Railways operated 4,496 special trains between May 1 and July 9, ferrying 6.3 million people.