Slamming the BJP and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley for terming the Minimum Income Guarantee (MIG) scheme proposed by the Congress as a ‘bluff scheme ‘, the party on Tuesday described the Modi government as anti-poor.
Addressing a press conference here, AICC media in-charge Randeep Surjewala said, ‘Hypocrite Modi can forgive Rs 3,50,000 crore of handful of businessmen but giving Rs 72,000 for India’s poor is troublesome for him. Why is BJP opposing this scheme? When Mr Modi can spend Rs 5,000 Cr for his publicity and advertisements, why is he opposing Rs 72,000 for a poor family? It is very clear that being anti-poor is in the DNA of Modi and BJP.’
Pointing out that Mr Narendra Modi opposed MNREGA, a scheme that eradicated poverty, Mr Surjewala said, “In his very first speech in Parliament after becoming Prime Minister, Narendra Modi opposed MNREGA, a scheme that eradicated poverty. NSSO data reveals that since Modi became PM, 4 crore jobs are lost in the country. Mr. Modi’s GST destroyed small businesses in the country. Modi government is anti-poor.”
Giving details of the scheme, announced by Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Monday, Mr Surjewala said, ‘
It is a women-centric scheme. The money will be transferred to the accounts of homemakers.’
Clarifying that it was not a top-up scheme, Mr Surjewala said, ’20 per cent poor families will receive Rs 72,000 every year. This scheme will be implemented for both urban and rural poor. Congress governments reduced India’s poverty from 70 per cent during independence to 22 per cent . We will work for removing the 22 per cent remaining poverty in India.”
‘This is the world’s biggest scheme for eradicating poverty,’ Mr Surjewala said.
