MGNREGA 'scam': Gujarat Cong MLAs protest seeking resignation of minister Khabad

Gandhinagar, Sep 8 (PTI) Congress MLAs on Monday staged a protest outside the Gujarat assembly complex seeking the resignation of minister Bachubhai Khabad over the arrest of his two sons for alleged involvement in an MGNREGA 'scam'.

On the first day of the Monsoon session, all 12 Congress MLAs raised slogans near the main entrance of the assembly complex. They held placards seeking Khabad's resignation and a probe of the scam by the CBI and ED.

Bachubhai Khabad, MLA from Devgadh Baria seat is Dahod, is the Minister of State Panchayat and Agriculture in the Gujarat government.

In May, Dahod police had arrested Khabad's sons Balvant and Kiran in an alleged MGNREGA scam wherein private contractors had siphoned off Rs 71 crore by submitting bogus certificates and documents to claim payments without finishing the work or supplying material.

The two are proprietors of agencies implicated in fraudulent MGNREGA projects carried out in Devgadh Baria and Dhanpur talukas in Dahod.

Senior Congress MLA Amit Chavda alleged Bachubhai Khabad was also directly involved in the scam.

"Instead of filing an FIR, the BJP government is shielding Khabad. To cover-up the issue, Khabad has been barred from attending public functions or even attending his office here. But, he has not been not removed as minister. This indicates Khabad knows secrets which can shake even the chief minister's chair," claimed Chavda.

Congress Legislative Party Leader Dr Tushar Chaudhary said the government must get Khabad to resign.

"We wonder why the BJP government is shielding Khabad instead of seeking his resignation. We demand that he be sacked immediately. All the works being carried out MGNREGA across Gujarat must be probed thoroughly," Chaudhary told reporters. PTI PJT PD BNM