New Delhi: Saying that the MGNREGA, which used to be the foundation of the Indian rural economy, Rahul Gandhi slammed the BJP-led Union government for reducing the schemes allocation. He alleged that the scheme is becoming a victim of the Centre's repressive policies, PTI reported.
Rahul Gandhi further alleged that linking Aadhar to the scheme under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) was a misuse of the identification document against the poor.
"MGNREGA is the foundation of India's rural economy. A revolutionary policy that has supported countless families. The MGNREGA scheme, which is running the homes of crores of families, is becoming a victim of the repressive policies of the Centre," PTI quoted Rahul's speech in Hindi in a Facebook post.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge criticized the Centre for "axing" the MGNREGA scheme. He said that the poor would never forgive Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Kharge tweeted in Hindi, "Prime Minister Modi's government's axe is working on MGNREGA. A 33-per cent cut in the MGNREGA funds in the budget. The minister said MGNREGA is not a scheme to provide employment. States will have to pay 40 per cent money for the Centre's 100 per cent work. Narendra Modiji, don't finish MGNREGA, the poor will not forgive."
Rahul Gandhi said that the Centre cut the budget for the scheme first and now finished linking salaries with Aadhaar. According to him, both actions were attacks on the poor's income.
He further said that Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government envisioned the Aadhaar card as providing convenience, identity, and economic security to people. But the Modi government is misusing it against the poor, he alleged.
The Wayanad MP said, "57 per cent of rural labourers will lose their daily wages if an Aadhaar card is made mandatory for MGNREGA. They (the government) do not have any policy to provide new employment. It has become the intention of this government only to take away the employment of people and create difficulties for the poor to get their rightful money."
"No new idea, no plan. Just one policy -- torture the poor," he added.