Hyderabad: TDP president and former Chief
Minister of Andhra Pradesh N Chandrababu Naidu Saturday
challenged that he would quit politics if he could not prove
"irregularities" in the implementation of Mahatma Gandhi
National Rural Employment Guarantee Programme in the state.
"The NREGP has turned into a major scandal in Andhra
Pradesh as a whopping Rs 4,000 crore have been misappropriated
by Congressmen, including some ministers. I am ready to prove
this failing which I shall quit politics," Chandrababu told a
press conference after the state Assembly was adjourned for
the day on the issue Saturday.
The Leader of Opposition alleged that all norms
related to NREGP have been totally violated as works were
being given away on nomination basis.
"Instead of employing people, the Congress leaders are
deploying machines for works and pocketing the funds. The
Rural Development Minister himself allotted works worth Rs 20
crore in this fashion," he pointed out.
Chandrababu said the government ran away from the
House by abruptly adjourning it without enabling a discussion
on the irregularities in NREGP.
"Not just this issue, but the government had run away
from discussing many other serious issues of public concern
like price rise, rehabilitation of flood victims, the
unprecedented power crisis, handloom weavers, plight, suicides
by farmers and large-scale corruption in irrigation projects.
The Congress government is making a mockery of democracy," the
TDP chief said.
Naidu also came down heavily on Assembly Speaker N
Kiran Kumar Reddy for failing to run the House effectively by
protecting the interests of the members.
"He (Speaker) is acting like a 'super human being' and
not like a normal person. His behaviour towards opposition
members is totally abhorring," Chandrababu said.
CPM floor leader J Ranga Reddy and CPI floor leader N
Mallesh also deplored the Speaker’s attitude and said it was
unbecoming of his position.
"As opposition parties it is our duty and
responsibility to raise issues of public concern in the House.
Instead of allowing a discussion on the issues, the government
was trying to stifle the opposition voice by adjourning the
House abruptly," they criticized.
The opposition leaders said they would come up with a
new strategy on Monday to corner the government on critical
issues.
PTI
First Published: Saturday, March 20, 2010, 18:19