Coming out in defence of the Gujarat government's renaming of the UPA government's Food Security Act as 'Maa Annapurna Yojna', the state BJP today said Congress should see the essence of the scheme instead of criticising the government over the move.
In a statement issued by the state BJP spokesperson Bharat Pandya, the ruling party also asked the Opposition to stop playing politics over the scheme, meant for providing food to poor people in the state.
BJP's reaction came a day after the Gujarat Congress slammed the BJP government for renaming the National Food Security Act, passed during the UPA regime, as Maa Annapurna Yojna, launched by Chief Minister Anandiben Patel yesterday.
"It is obvious Congress will oppose this name, as they are in the habit of seeing names of their leaders attached to each and every scheme launched in the past. The Gandhi-Nehru dynasty alone ruled India for years. Thus, all the schemes in the past had the names of their leaders," said Pandya.
According to a survey, more than four lakh institutes, trusts, government buildings were named after Congress leaders, as they ruled for maximum period after the Independence, Pandya was quoted as saying in the release.
Earlier yesterday, Congress MLA Shaktisinh Gohil said it is an "old habit" of BJP to change names of schemes launched by Congress-led government at the Centre.
He slammed Chief Minister for indicating the food scheme was envisioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
"Only a BJP leader can utter such a blatant lie while sitting on such a high post. It is an indisputable fact Food Security Act was brought by the Congress-led UPA government, not by BJP. Changing name of Central schemes and taking undue credit is an old practice of the Gujarat government," Gohil alleged.
Pandya said Maa Annapurna Yojna is much better and wider in scope than what UPA brought through the Act.
"In Indian culture, Maa Annapurna is a deity, who provides food. Therefore, instead of playing politics over the issue, Congress should understand the essence if it. Congress must refrain from doing politics over a scheme meant to feed over 3.82 crore poor people of Gujarat," Pandya said.
