Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday once again slammed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Central government and this time for government's decision to scrap the concession given to senior citizens on train tickets. Taking to micro-blogging site Twitter, the Wayanad MP pointed out that Centre can spend Rs 911 crores on advertisements, Rs 8,400 crores on new plane, Rs 1,45,000 crore yearly in giving tax exemptions to "capitalist friends", but does not have Rs 1,500 crore to give concession in rail tickets to the elderly.
Rahul also said that the government can even bring stars for friends, but will make people yearn for every penny.
"Ads Expenses: Rs 911 cr, new plane: Rs 8,400 cr, tax exemption for capitalist friends: Rs 1,45,000 cr/year... But the government does not have Rs 1,500 crore to give concession in rail tickets to the elderly. Will even bring the stars for friends, but will make people yearn for every penny," he tweeted in Hindi.
The former Congress President's tweet was in response to Railway Ministry's recent submission in Parliament that the cost of granting concessions to passengers "weighs heavily" on the Indian Railways. The ministry also ruled out the restoration of the facility for all categories.
Earlier, male senior citizen travellers were eligible for a 40 per cent discount in all classes, female 50 per cent rebate, while transgender travellers used to get an off of 40 per cent while travelling in Indian Railways.
In a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw recently said the Indian Railways is already bearing more than 50 per cent of the cost of travel, on an average, for all passengers, including senior citizens, on account of lower fare structure for passenger services.
Apart from Congress, even the BJP MP Varun Gandhi questioned the government's decision to scrap the concession given to senior citizens on train tickets. Varun, too, took to Twitter and asked why this relief to the elderly is seen as a "burden" when MPs continue to get subsidy on rail fare.
Varun also termed the decision to scrap discounts as unfortunate and asked the government to reconsider it, adding that it is insensitive to desert our own people at this stage of their lives.