The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA) had come as a saviour for the poor, especially the migrants, as the lockdown forced them to return to their native places. The scheme is being increasingly used to provide work to the people. Now, with the lockdown been lifted and political activity picking up, the Congress and the BJP are sparring over the job scheme.
The BJP questioned the Congress over its poor implementation of the scheme during its regime after Congress chief Sonia Gandhi on Monday said the scheme had survived the six years of the Modi government which has been hostile to it. She had urged the government to use the scheme to give maximum benefits to the poor, and should not treat the legislation as a Congress-BJP issue.
Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Wednesday attacked Sonia Gandhi for “doing negative politics and misleading the people of the country on MNREGA”. Prasad also questioned Rahul Gandhi's barbs on Indo-China conflict, use of Aadhaar and Aarogya Setu App.
Prasad argued that MNREGA was started during the UPA government but it was the NDA government which carried it forward in a systematic, and effective manner. “We dont have an objection if MNREGA was started during the UPA government, but the money was misused and misappropriated in the name of distributing it to the poor.”
The Union minister said that one of the biggest differences between the UPA government and Modi government was its implementation. “We complete the same work and do it better, as we started cash transfers in bank account thus cutting down on the role of middlemen.”
The senior BJP leader said during the UPA government 21.4 per cent people were benefiting from MNREGA, but in Modi government this figure has increased to 67.7 per cent. “Late Shri Rajiv Gandhi used to say that if I send one rupee from Delhi, the poor get 15 paise but the Modi government sends 100 rupees, then the poor get the full 100 rupees, this is the difference between the Congress and the Modi government,” Prasad added.
The Union minister accused the Congress of doining politics during the pandemic. “Sonia Gandhi says that there should not be 'BJP vs Congress' but who is doing 'BJP vs Congress'? Even in challenging times, only Congress is doing this kind of politics, Rahul Gandhi is doing it. He asked what is the benefit of lockdown, when Congress CMs were imposing it.”
Prasad said his party was not to shy away from the 'BJP vs Congress' contest. “Let the elections come, we will do the 'BJP vs Congress' with honesty. At the moment, the Congress should strive for the nation.”
The minister also questioned Rahul Gandhi's remarks during the Indo-China border dispute saying the latter should be circumspect while questioning the country during such times.
Similarly, Prasad defended against Congress questioning over Aadhar and Aarogya Setu App. He said that the Aadhaar scheme was launched during the UPA era and any misgivings against are unfounded. “Today, 126 crore people of the country have an Aadhar card. 121 crore mobile phones are connected to it and 37 crore Jan-Dhan accounts have been connected through it and money is being sent to it. The central government has sent Rs 11 lakh crore to these accounts,” he said.
The Union Minister also said that so far 11 crore people have downloaded the Aarogya Setu App. “It is quite safe,” he said.
