Steppin up its attack on the Congress, the Uttar Pradesh government on Friday alleged that the Rajasthan government, helmed by Congress’ Ashok Gehlot, recovered Rs 36.5 lakh from it for the 90 additional buses it provided for bringing stranded students from Kota.
“On the one hand you do not even show the courtesy of dropping our students stranded in your state at the UP border and ask us to pay the cost for ferrying students; on the other hand you try to show off your sense of public service and sensitivity by offering buses for migrants in UP,” deputy CM Dinesh Sharma, flanked transport minister Ashok Katariya, said at a press conference.
The BJP leader accused the Congress of being “two-faced” and sought a public apology for misrepresenting facts over arranging buses for migrants, which it called a “political stunt”.
“The Congress must render an apology for misleading the nation, especially the migrant workers for its two-faced character,” Sharma said.
Detailing the Kota episode, Sharma said UP had sent buses to bring stranded students back on April 18 but it fell short of vehicles. They could bring only 10,000 students whereas the number were 12,000.
“Therefore, the UPSRTC requested Rajasthan state road transport corporation (RSRTC) to provide 90 additional buses to ferry all the students back home. They did agree but on the condition that the UPSRTC give this in writing that it would bear the cost to which we agreed and sent a written request immediately accordingly,” Sharma said.
{{/usCountry}}“Therefore, the UPSRTC requested Rajasthan state road transport corporation (RSRTC) to provide 90 additional buses to ferry all the students back home. They did agree but on the condition that the UPSRTC give this in writing that it would bear the cost to which we agreed and sent a written request immediately accordingly,” Sharma said.
{{/usCountry}}Elaborating further, Katariya said that Rajasthan raised a bill of Rs 19.75 lakh on May 1 towards diesel that UPSRTC’s 560 buses sourced from the Kota depot and the entire amount was paid to them on May 5.
“Again, on May 18 they sent the UPSRTC a reminder for the payment of another amount of Rs 36.36 lakh as the fare for the 90 buses the UPSRTC hired from RSRTC for bringing students from Kota to Agra and the UPSRTC paid the entire amount back on May 20,” he said.
He said though students belonged to UP, they were staying in Rajasthan for the study purpose and hence the Rajasthan government was equally accountable for their well-being.
“Should the Rajasthan government have not shown the courtesy of dropping these students free of cost on the UP borders at least if not to their homes?” he asked.