BJP diluting rights-based legislations through legal, administrative changes: Congress

Jammu, Jan 9: AICC general secretary in-charge JK affairs and MP Dr Sayeed Naseer Hussain on Friday accused the BJP-led central government of weakening rights-based legislations through legal and administrative changes.

In this connection, he, while addressing a press conference at PCC HQ here in Jammu, announced that the Congress party would launch a 45-day long ‘MGNREGA Bachao Sangram’ across the country. Including J&K.

Responding to media queries, he alleged that the Centre failed to rehabilitate flood affected people of the Union Territory and asserted that the struggle for J&K statehood would be further intensified. Congress MP also criticised the closure of SMVDIME by describing it as a “wrong decision.”

He alleged that the new VB- G RAM-G Act, replacing the fundamental feature of legal guarantee to work under MGNREGA, was aimed at weakening Gram Sabhas and Panchayats by snatching decision making from them, burdening states with 40 percent sharing of funds. “This will fail the rural job scheme, which provide 5 to 6 crore jobs to rural poor annually,” Syed Naseer Hussain claimed.

Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) president Tariq Hameed Karra, AICC secretary Divya Maderna, working president Raman Bhalla, chief spokesperson Ravinder Sharma, former minister Mula Ram, DCC presidents Jammu Urban Yogesh Sawhney and Jammu rural Neeraj Kundan accompanied him during the press conference.

Syed Naseer Hussain stated that MGNREGA had been a cornerstone of rural livelihood security and its demand driven design, assured wages and direct bank payments particularly benefitted women, Dalits, Adivasis and marginalized sections with women accounting for nearly 60 percent of workdays. Sharing a detailed account of “MGNREGA Bachao Sangram”, he announced that it would commence with a one-day fast in all districts on January 12. “The Congress will also raise this issue in the coming Parliamentary session,” he said.

Referring to the ongoing struggle for statehood by J&K Congress, “Hamari Riyasat, Hamara Haq”, incharge J&K affairs said that it would also be held simultaneously and intensified along with the MGNREGA struggle. He also termed the cancellation of permission to SMVDIME as a “wrong decision” against the overall interest of youth of the region.

“Centre should have examined the issue in the broader interests and rectified the original mistake committed by them,” he stated, while questioning the fate of around 300 employees engaged in this college.