The Congress on Tuesday dared Prime Minister Narendra Modi to issue a one-line circular stating that migrant workers should not be charged the fare for travelling back home.

Congress spokesperson Sushmita Dev said: “The entire controversy will end if the Prime Minister puts out a tweet or asks the railway ministry to issue a circular saying that tickets are not to be sold. One line will do, saying that money will not be charged from the migrant workers.”

Dev added: “We feel ashamed to say that the government has to lie on an issue of people’s distress.”