May 6: Congress general secretary KC Venugopal on Tuesday termed as "inhumane" the government's decision to "impose excessive costs" on NRIs and expatriates for bringing them into the country from COVID-19-affected nations.
He demanded that the central government fly in the poor and vulnerable free of cost while charge the others with normal fares instead of high costs.
"The central government's decision to impose excessive costs on NRIs flying in special flights from the Covid-affected countries is an inhumane act," he said in a statement.
Venugopal said it was due to protests by a large number of expatriates and their relatives as well as the general public over the past few days that the central government took the decision to bring back Indian citizens from abroad.
"However, it is cruel that the Central government has taken advantage of this plight of expatriates by increasing the price of air fares up to three times. This is inhumane," Venugopal said in his statement.
He urged the Centre to take urgent steps to provide free travel to the most vulnerable, unemployed, sick and pregnant women and to others on normal fare.
Air India will operate 64 repatriation flights for a week from May 7 while the Navy deployed two ships as India rolled out a massive evacuation plan on Tuesday to bring back thousands of its nationals stranded abroad due to the coronavirus-triggered lockdown.
Those availing the repatriation flights will be charged, Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri told a virtual press conference in New Delhi. A passenger on a London-Delhi flight will be charged Rs 50,000 and on a Dhaka-Delhi flight Rs 12,000, he added.
From the Gulf countries to Malaysia and the UK to the US, the multi-agency operation christened 'Vande Bharat Mission' will see the state-owned airline operate the non-scheduled commercial flights till May 13 to ferry around 15,000 Indian nationals from 12 countries.
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If Owaisi compains for jds and bsp, he will lose the respect what we kannadigas have in him. He is being used by these parties only to divide muslim votes and alternatively support bjp. In case Owaisi did so, it will be very clear that he is hidden agent of bjp. If actually he needs betterment of muslims, he should keep away from Karnakataka elections. |this is our sincere advice to Mr. Owaisi otherwise we will support or respect him any more. Besides this if he comes to karnataka, i reqeust muslims to welcome him by rotten eggs and black flags. Let him understand that this is not Hyderabad. Why is he showing double standard? Why cant he stand in one boat. He should not try to be another Mir Jafar or Mir Qasim. I was a fan of him, but if he comes to karnataka on the hidden agenda of bjp, i will disrespect him for ever and will not consider him as a sympathisers of Muslims. He will do it for his own benefit. In every speech he speaks about unity in Muslims but he himself is going against it. I doubt he will keep on his popularity and may lose next election in his own constituency and AIMIM will also be thrown out. Hope Owaisi will understand the situation and take back his plan to visit karnataka to divide muslim votes.
Mr. Owaisi, try to follow one ideology. Dont spread your leg in two boats at the same time, you may fall down
He only denied the campaign offer before. Now again..
Double Standard guy, we know about you and we know about your dealing With BJP president Amith Shah close door meeting , do not try to fool Kanndaigas , we are very clear whom to vote ...........
Wonder land man from wonderland AIMIM looks not Indian degree, may be United Kingdom Degree after MIMIM this is Masters degree to the wonder Owaisi!!!!! any way he is the Gate way of "Devide and Rule" good money bai sabb, you divide or Sale no problem, we need our comission, he did in Uttarpradesh, Bihar now he came to Karnataka, no worries "Every Dog has its own day Bai sabb" I am sure Kannadians will not listen your stupidity
Jai hoo Siddaramanna
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