Many Egyptians unmoved by heroic 'train lady' story
A woman who offered to pay a conscript's train fare has been celebrated as a national hero in Egypt, but skeptics suggest the incident was staged to deflect attention from bigger challenges faced by the country.
Egypt's National Railway Authority announced Sept. 14 it would eliminate rail fares for military and police personnel effective mid-September. The move has raised questions about preferential treatment for the country's security forces. All railway stations have been notified that uniformed security personnel and those who present their National ID cards to the fare inspector are exempt from paying for train rides.
The decision came on the heels of a viral video showing a uniformed army conscript being reprimanded by a train conductor after he refuses to pay. As the argument heats up, a female passenger offers to pay for the conscript's far of less than $2. "I have sons your age at home," she tells him.
