'Govt will bring stars for friends BUT....': Rahul Gandhi slams Centre over no rail concessions to elderly

New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday slammed the Narendra Modi-led BJP government at the Centre for not granting rail ticket concessions to the elderly and alleged that while it can even reach for the stars for its "friends", it will make the common people yearn for every penny. The Congress Wayanad MP also listed out the money spent by the government on advertisements, a new aeroplane and tax concession to "friends" in a tweet in Hindi.

"Advertising expenses: Rs 911 crore. New plane: Rs 8,400 crore. Tax exemption for capitalist friends: Rs 1,45,000 crore per year. But the government does not have Rs 1,500 crore to give concessions in rail tickets to the elderly. Will even reach for the stars (tare tak tod kar layenge) for friends, but will make people yearn for every penny," the Congress MP said in the tweet.

विज्ञापनों का ख़र्च: ₹911 Cr

नया हवाई जहाज़: ₹8,400 Cr

पूंजीपति मित्रों के टैक्स में छूट: ₹1,45,000 Cr/साल

लेकिन सरकार के पास बुज़ुर्गों को रेल टिकट में छूट देने के लिए ₹1500 करोड़ नहीं हैं।

मित्रों के लिए तारे तक तोड़ कर लाएंगे, मगर जनता को कौड़ी-कौड़ी के लिए तरसाएंगे। — Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) July 22, 2022

It may be noted that the government used to provide up to 50 per cent concessions to senior citizens in rail tickets but the facility has been suspended ever since the outbreak of Covid-19. In the backdrop of the government's criticism, Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Friday said in Rajya Sabha that "extending the scope of concessions to all categories of passengers including senior citizens is not desirable".

Giving a written reply to a query raised by Aam Aadmi Party MP Sanjay Singh, the Railway Minister said "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 this due to Covid-19, Vaishnaw said that the passenger earnings for the last two years are "less" in comparison to 2019-2020." These have a long-term impact on the financial health of the Railways," he said. "Cost of granting concessions weighs heavily on Railways. Hence extending the scope of concessions to all categories of passengers including senior citizens is not desirable," said the minister.

In spite of these challenges, Vaishnaw further informed, Indian Railways has "continued concession in fares to four categories of persons with disabilities, eleven categories of patients and students". The reply from Rail Minister came when he was asked, "whether it is a fact that Government has not resumed subsidized train tickets and concessions for the elderly".