Rahul Gandhi being presented with a memento by local Congress leaders in Kochi on Monday.
Credit: X/@INCIndia
Thiruvananthapuram: Accusing the BJP government at the Centre of trying to sabotage the decentralisation of powers through the local bodies, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi alleged that the attack on Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee scheme (MGNREGA) was also part of the move.
Addressing the newly elected members from the Congress to the local bodies in Kerala in Kochi on Monday, the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha said that the BJP government aims at centralizing powers with them.
"Hence they are working against schemes like MGNREGA that are being implemented through the local bodies," Rahul said.
The Congress leader recollected that the UPA government had initiated the 73rd and 74th Constitutional amendments to empower the local bodies with the three-tier Panchayati Raj system as well as the MGNREGA with the aim of ensuring minimum wage to the poor people.
"MGNERGA has transformed the lives of millions of people. Even then, the Centre was trying to destroy it. The BJP-RSS don't want to ensure minimum wages to the workers of the country. While the Congress stood for decentralisation, the BJP-RSS stood for centralisation," said Gandhi at the 'Mahapanchayat'.
Rahul's focus on MGNREGA assumed much significance as the Congress in Kerala already decided to make it one of the key issues in the coming Assembly election campaign.
Rahul said that in the coming Assembly election people of Kerala would be raising their voice aloud to protect the democracy and Constitution. Under the BJP rule the nation's wealth is getting concentrated with a few businessmen, he said.
"The BJP-RSS wants to silence the people of the country. But they won't be able to silence the people of Kerala. The voice of the people of Kerala will be heard aloud in the coming elections," said Rahul.
Rahul also expressed confidence that the Congress-led United Democratic Front will win the coming Assembly elections too. The Congress leaders will be able to understand the real issues of the people like unemployment.
Earlier during the day, Rahul presented the 'Priyadarshini literary award' to veteran writer M Leelavathy at her residence in Kochi.