Kharge slams PM Modi for his anti-Congress statement in Assam

Kalaburagi (Karnataka), Dec 21 (PTI) AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge on Sunday slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for blaming Congress for the anti-national activities in Assam.

He was reacting to Modi's speech in poll-bound Assam.

PM Modi said that prior to Independence, when the Muslim League and the British were preparing the ground for India's Partition, a conspiracy was hatched to make Assam a part of East Pakistan.

"The Congress was going to be part of this conspiracy. It was Gopinath Bardoloi who stood against his own party, opposed this plot to destroy Assam's identity, and saved Assam from being separated from the country," he claimed.

Hitting out at Modi, Kharge said he blames the opposition for his failures.

"His (Modi's) government is there at the Centre. In Assam also there is BJP government, which is called double engine government. If they fail to protect, how can he blame opposition party. When he fails, everything he puts on the opposition. I condemn such statement," Kharge told reporters.

The Congress president said the grand old party never defended terrorists or infiltrators.

"We are not defending anybody. In the interest of the country, whatever is good, we will do it, but we are not supporting terrorists or infiltrators," he said.

Kharge said Modi is blaming Congress because he failed to prevent the infiltrators from entering India.

Regarding the Centre doing away with MGNREGA, the Opposition Leader in the Rajya Sabha, said the scheme is the lifeline for poor.

Kharge alleged that Modi is purposely destroying that Act as he wanted to make poor villagers and farm labourers slaves of rich people.

"Therefore, we fought for the retention of the original MGNREGA and whatever provisions are there (in the original Act) should be retained. I condemn the new Act. It is only helping the government," the Congress chief said.

He also said that Modi has increased the contributions of the state government.

Earlier, the ratio of Centre and the State was 90:10 per cent where 90 was of the Centre and 10 was of state. Now Modi has made it 60:40 where Centre's contribution is 60 per cent, he alleged.

"It means he doesn't want to help the states. He wants money from the state government and less contribution of the Centre. That itself shows he has no interest in the development of the poor people," the Rajya Sabha member said.

According to him, MNGREGA had helped in poverty eradication especially during COVID-19 pandemic and helped poor people, which Modi dislikes.

"He just wanted to curb such things and also make poor people poorer and suppress them. We are going to agitate. We have told our people that in each state and in each district, agitation should take place and it should be continued and not closed. Opposition parties are also supporting us on this," Khargr claimed.

The parliament on December 18, passed the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G Bill), that seeks to replace the 20-year-old Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) and guarantee 125 days of rural wage employment every year.

Regarding the lynching of a Hindu in Bangladesh, the Congress president said, "I condemn that. Hindus should be protected. The Government of India should speak to them and Hindus should be protected there." PTI GMS KH