Centre depriving poor of rural employment scheme: Revanth Reddy

Hyderabad, Dec 18 (PTI) Hitting out at the NDA government over the repeal of MGNREGA and its alleged vindictive action in the National Herald case, Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Thursday said the Centre is making a conspiracy to deprive the poor of the benefits of the rural employment scheme.

Reddy, who addressed a press conference on the victory of the ruling Congress in the Gram Panchayat polls, alleged that the union government is trying to weaken and dilute the MGNREGA brought in by the previous UPA regime headed by the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress leader Sonia Gandhi.

"A vendetta and conspiracy to see that the poor don't get the benefit of the scheme, by not only changing its name but also changing policies, is clearly visible," he said.

Lok Sabha on Thursday passed a bill to replace the 20-year-old scheme MGNREGA amid tearing of papers by opposition members who accused the government of destroying the rural economy and ignoring the principles of Mahatma Gandhi.

In a spirited reply to the eight-hour discussion on the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission-Gramin (G RAM G) Bill, Rural Development Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan claimed large-scale corruption in the implementation of the Mahatma Gandhi National Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).

The CM alleged that the NDA government is filing illegal cases against Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi acting out of vendetta.

"It (Centre) does not change its attitude even after court censuring it," he said.

The chargesheet filed by the ED in the National Herald case was rejected by the court in Delhi.

The Telangana people stood with Congress in the Gram Panchayat polls, Reddy said.

He also alleged a tacit understanding between the BRS and BJP.

The CM said Congress won 66 per cent of the Gram Panchayat polls which concluded on December 17, while BRS and BJP put together bagged 33 per cent of the GPs.

On BRS criticism over Telangana Assembly Speaker Gaddam Prasad Kumar dismissing the disqualification petitions filed against five of the 10 BRS MLAs, who had allegedly switched over to the ruling Congress, Reddy said he and other Congress leaders cannot respond as a political party on the Speaker's decision.

The BRS can approach courts against the Speaker's decision, he said.

When told about BRS leaders' criticism that the Speaker was influenced by the chief minister, he said BRS MLA T Harish Rao had stated in the Assembly that the regional party's strength is 37 (indicating that there were no defections from BRS).

The Speaker had issued bulletins on the strength of various parties after every Assembly session during the last two years and the BRS had never questioned it, he said.

Asked about BRS president K Chandrasekhar Rao's decision to hold a party meeting soon, he said "KCR has not been in active politics" (a reference to KCR staying away from public engagements since BRS defeat in 2023 assembly polls).

Observing that BRS was defeated in Gram Panchayat polls in Gajwel assembly segment represented by KCR, he opined that BRS may not bounce back even if KCR plays an active role.

On BRS planning to take up an agitation on river water issues, Reddy said he is ready to convene a special session of Assembly to debate Krishna and Godaari river water issues with KCR.

"It was BRS and Chandrasekhar Rao who did more betrayal (for Telangana) than in undivided Andhra Pradesh during BRS regime. We are ready for debate with proofs. I am challenging him to question us in the House if there is any fault on our part," he said.

Replying to a query on BRS leader K T Rama Rao claiming big wins in Gram Panchayat polls, Reddy said he has released a list of the Gram Panchayats won by each party which can be fact checked.

Rama Rao is actually trying to dilute the attempts by his cousin and MLA Harish Rao for a leadership change in BRS, he claimed.

The CM said the Congress won 66 per cent of gram panchayats in the rural local body elections which were held on non-party basis. PTI SJR SJR KH