Bengaluru, Jan 22 (PTI) Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Thursday launched a sharp attack on the Congress, alleging that it had lost its “idea, ideology and ideal” in the wake of alleged insult to Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot.
He accused the Karnataka government of corruption, misrule and undermining democratic values.
Chouhan also sought to clear the doubts over the Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajivika Mission (Gramin), alleging that the Congress was making fuss over it.
The minister slammed the Congress for the alleged insult meted out to Gehlot in the Karnataka Assembly for not reading the entire Governor’s address during the joint session.
The Governor’s address prepared by the state government, which Gehlot did not read except for the first two lines and the last line, criticised the Centre for replacing Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) with VB-G RAM G.
Addressing a press conference here, Chouhan said development had come to a standstill in Karnataka and claimed the Congress no longer believed in public welfare or the ideals of Mahatma Gandhi.
Condemning the disruption of the Governor’s address in the Karnataka Assembly, the minister said it had damaged democratic traditions and the Constitution.
“Congress has lost all the three — its idea, ideology and ideal,” Chouhan said, adding that “whatever happened in the Karnataka Assembly today has ended the democratic ideals and has damaged the Constitution.” The union minister alleged large-scale irregularities in the implementation of MGNREGA in the state, citing audit findings and inspection reports.
“Today Congress is a machine of lies, a shop of illusion and a bazaar of rumours,” he said, asserting that social audits had revealed 1.33 lakh irregularities and that in thousands of cases recoveries were not made despite recommendations.
“This is not me, but the CAG report is saying this,” the former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister said.
Chouhan gave examples from Kalaburagi district, alleging that works were either not executed or misrepresented on paper, including instances where machines were used instead of labourers, existing assets were shown as new works, and payments were made without execution.
He claimed funds were siphoned off by splitting works and repeating the same work multiple times.
Defending the Centre’s new village employment initiative, he said the NDA government had provided significantly higher allocations than the UPA and introduced reforms to prevent fake works.
“We have made a complete scheme called VB-G RAM G but Congress is pained because they thought MGNREGA is their ancestral property. That shop is going to be shut soon,” he said, adding that the scheme would provide up to 125 days of guaranteed work with greater role for Gram Sabhas and use of technology.
On agricultural procurement, Chouhan said the Centre had not discriminated against Karnataka, pointing out that permissions were given for the purchase of tur gram, Totapuri mango and Bengal gram, but procurement by the state government had fallen short.
“The Karnataka Chief Minister had written to procure Bengal Gram. Today only we gave the permission to procure 1.01 metric tonne and for which Rs 585.37 crore has been allocated,” the minister said.
He also demanded action against those responsible for the disruption of the Governor’s address, saying he condemned “whatever they did today with the Governor.” PTI GMS GMS KH
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