Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge
Credit: PTI Photo
Bengaluru: Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday said his party would “fight till the end” against the repealing of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).
“MGNREGA was the right to work. As per Article 41 under the Directive Principles, it was enacted as a law under the leadership of Sonia Gandhi during the Manmohan Singh government. They (BJP government) have struck down an Act that was intended to help the poor,” Kharge told reporters.
The new Viksit Bharat - Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) Act will “obstruct” the functioning of panchayats, Kharge said.
“With a cost-sharing ratio of 60:40, an additional financial burden of 30% is being placed on the states. The earlier cost-sharing ratio was 90:10,” Kharge said. He also accused the Modi administration of targeting UPA-era schemes like the Right to Education, Right to Food Security and now the Right to Work. “They want to stop these schemes from reaching the poor,” he said.
Kharge also rubbished claims that the VB-G RAM G Act was introduced to fight corruption under the MGNREGA. “The Centre itself conducts audits... The Comptroller & Auditor General has said that the MGNREGA helped create assets, lakes, roads, school buildings and anganwadis,” he said, dubbing the BJP as “anti-people.”
“Instead of helping the poor, PM Modi is giving away the country’s resources to big corporates,” Kharge said. “We’re fighting against it and the fight will continue.”