Launching a scathing attack on the Narendra Modi-led government for its "anti-poor" policies, Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar today said the Centre is trying to dilute rural job scheme MGNREGA through various routes including significant curtailing of funds.
Sarkar, a CPI(M) Polit Bureau member, said Tripura has been given Rs 650 crore in the form of central assistance to MGNREGA in the financial year 2014-15, although the budget allocation was to the tune of Rs 1,400 crore.
"The Centre informed us that it would provide us around Rs 650 crore during the current fiscal (2014-15) in spite of a budget allocation amounting to Rs 1,400 crore, which amounts to a 50 per cent cut," he said, addressing hundreds of CPI(M) workers from Delhi and its neighbouring states at a dharna in Jantar Mantar here.
The dharna, inaugurated by CPI(M) General Secretary Prakash Karat, was attended by JD(U) President Sharad Yadav, Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar and social activist Aruna Roy among others.
The Tripura chief minister sought to play down his role in leading the dharna, saying that he was merely showing his solidarity with the poor.
"The attack meted out is against the the poorest of the poor of our country. That's why I thought it would be fit to sit with them in their agitation," he said. Sarkar, now in his fourth consecutive term as chief minister, targeted both Congress and BJP saying both the parties had the same approach in terms of dealing with the poor.
"There is no difference in the class approach between the Congress and BJP. Earlier Congress squeezed the programme and now BJP is doing the same. They should realise that attack on this programme amounts to attack on the poorest of the poor," he said.
On the presence of JD(U) and Congress leaders, he said that they came there on realising the importance of the cause.
"The government led by Modiji should try to realise that this is not a demand raised by CPI(M) alone. This is the demand of common people of the country which is bringing leaders cutting across party lines together.
"We have not invited them but when they came to know about the demands, they realised that it would be their moral responsibility to come and support the cause," Sarkar said.
Earlier in the day, Urban Development Minister Venkaiah Naidu sought to assure the protesting MPs in the Lok Sabha, stating "there is no question of diluting MGNREGA", following which the CPI(M) members staged a walkout.
