Cong hurt by govt removing Mahatma Gandhi's name from rural employment bill: Khurshid

Srinagar, Dec 20 (PTI) Congress leader Salman Khurshid on Saturday said the party is hurt by the government's move to pass the VB-G RAM G Bill in Parliament, replacing the MGNREGA and thereby "removing" Mahatma Gandhi's name, but stressed that he lives in the hearts of the people.

Addressing a press conference as part of the Congress' nationwide campaign on MGNREGA and the latest development in the National Herald case, he said, "MGNREGA has two aspects. One is the emotional aspect for us, for our country." "MGNREGA was associated with Mahatma Gandhi's personality, with his greatness, with his name. They have removed it. A question arises about what benefit anyone will get by it and what purpose it will serve," Khurshid said.

Gandhiji continues to live in the hearts of the people of India, and his name cannot be erased, he said. "We are hurt, but no one can diminish it, no one can erase it. The public will give the answer to this." The former external affairs minister said Gandhiji's name was not just emotionally associated with the scheme, but was also associated with the movement.

The scheme envisaged 100 days of work for the poor according to the demands of the locals in a particular area, and it went on successfully for 20 years, Khurshid remarked. "Now, the decision on what work is to be undertaken will be made by officers and not people. The right to make decisions that was given to the village has been snatched away from them." He said the new scheme puts a burden on the states, as only 60 per cent of the money will come from the Central government, and the state governments will have to fund the remaining amount. Twelve crore workers who will be affected by this, he added.

On the National Herald case, Khurshid said some "mischievous people" wanted to present the legal steps taken in the reorganisation of the National Herald in such a way that people understand that it is a scam.

"This matter has been going on for the last 10-12 years. The Enforcement Directorate called Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and questioned him continuously for five days. They tried to find something that they could use to move forward," he said.

The Congress leader alleged that when the government could not find anything, "they used their old trick, their strategy that when someone doesn't come under their control from elsewhere, they either use the CBI or the ED." "However, the court rejected the ED's chargesheet, describing it as an unilateral over-reach," he added.

Khurshid accused the government of interfering with the fundamental system of democracy -- the right to vote.

"There is no greater right in a democracy than the right to vote. And because you are interfering with it, the Congress party has launched a very big movement against "Vote Chori". It is still going on, and it will continue," he said.

"Our belief is that on one hand, a fundamental interference is being made to derail democracy. On the other hand, interference is being made in the system, the administrative system, the legal system, by misusing the ED and CBI," he said.

He, however, added that the Congress would continue to fight this battle.

"We are not afraid, we do not back down, we will continue to face it with strength," Khurshid said.

He also expressed hope that statehood would be restored to Jammu and Kashmir.

"Your democratic fight is a fight for your existence. By your existence, I mean your statehood. In a federal democracy, there is an identity, statehood.

"If someone interfered with that identity, tried to diminish it, then I believe there cannot be a greater insolence against democracy than that. And this insolence has occurred against democracy," he said.

Khurshid said the government had made a promise before the Supreme Court to restore the statehood, but much time has passed. "You have not received statehood till today. I hope that your fight will succeed at the earliest," he added. PTI SSB NSD NSD