Udupi : Former Union minister M Veerappa Moily alleged that the BJP is totally against empowering a three-tier local government.

Speaking after inaugurating the district Women Congress convention at Town Hall here on Saturday, the Parliamentarian said that the BJP and its allies proved to be a problem whenever there was an attempt by the Congress to effectively implement the administrative decentralisation process.

“Right from the beginning, there were many attempts by BJP to create hurdles. This demonstrates that BJP is against Mahatma Gandhi and his ideas of Gram Swaraj,” said Moily.

Maintaining that the Congress is committed towards bringing in more power to the three-tier local governance system, he added that the issue is being echoed in the recent decision of the Congress-led State government to implement the recommendations of the Ramesh Kumar committee over decentralising the local governments more effectively. The State government is always pro-poor and is trying to legalise the illegal encroachments for the poor under the Akrama–Sakrama project, said Moily.

Brushing aside the BJPs allegations accusing that the State government is snatching away the Kumki rights from the farmers, the MP added that the Supreme Court verdict stating that Kumki is a privilege is the result of BJP government’s approach to the Court against Kumki rights. The State government is somehow trying to find a middle way to solve the problem, he insisted.

He alleged that the Prime Minister was too eager to prove that the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee (MGNREG) Scheme is a ineffective scheme. “Following which, he set up a team under the leadership of economist Mahendra Dev to evaluate the progress of the MGNREG Scheme. However, much to the annoyance of the BJP and the party leaders, the economist has lauded the scheme to be the basic cause that has helped Indians and Indian banks to withstand the global recession that badly affected the economies of other countries across the globe,” said Moily.

He ridiculed that, at present, Indian banks are undergoing bankruptcy and inflation is badly affecting people. “The Central government programme Jan Dhan was a huge poll gimmick as asserted by the BJP national president himself. The retail sector has gone to the rocks and the consumers are finding it hard to cope with the increasing prices of essential commodities,” he said.

He added that the Karnataka government is instrumental in offering the 50 per cent reservation for women in rural governance. He added the secular Congress government in State has the highest GDP growth across the nation unlike Gujarat, which is facing a lapse in the Food Security Act.

Former Union minister Oscar Fernandes said the State government has introduced 29 programmes to strengthen the rural administration. He added that, out of 33 lakh panchayat members across the country, there are nearly 18 lakh women members.

Rural governance should be strengthened and economic empowerment is the need of the hour, he advised.

MLC Jayamala said if there is a government which truly commits itself to the poor and downtrodden, it is the Congress government – it is the only government which had actually understood the democratic nerve of the country. She said the State Congress government is the first government to ensure better status to transgenders. “The government has plans to set up a committee to look into the living conditions and psychological status of sex workers. Following the report, the government intends to introduce new policies ensuring better living condition for sex workers,” she said.