New Delhi, July 9 (UNI) The Congress today demanded the dismissal of the Gujarat Minister Bachubhai Maganbhai Khabad, over his alleged involvement in the “misappropriation of funds” meant to be spent under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) scheme in the state.
The party accused the Minister of being involved in the multi-crore rupee scam, as the money was repeatedly withdrawn for purported work done on a small portion of land owned by him.
Addressing a press conference at the AICC headquarters here, Congress Spokesperson Shaktisinh Gohil demanded dismissal of Khabad from the Council of Ministers and court court-monitored CBI inquiry.
Gohil claimed that under a well-planned conspiracy to “loot the MGNREGA funds” meant for the rural poor labourers, work orders were issued and money was claimed multiple times against the same plot for different types of work.
He said, “It was strange and shocking that the same plot was shown to be used for the construction of the flood drain, storm wall, dam, well and then for the levellingof the land and creating a forest through tree plantation”.
He alleged that not only was the money siphoned off in the name of work, but the material for the work was also supplied by a firm owned by a close relative of the minister.
Gohil said that the majority of MGNREGA funds are allocated for the labour wages to ensure the employment of the rural unemployed, while only a small amount is kept for the supply of the material ,which must be sourced from the lowest bidder.
However, in this case, he alleged the supply contract was awarded to the minister’s son, despite him not being the lowest bidder.
He further claimed that the firm had not even paid the GST on the material it sold and supplied for the work. He also argued that despite everything having been exposed, the minister had not been sacked. He demanded the minister’s immediate dismissal.
Asserting that the case must be investigated by the CBI under court monitoring, he said the investigation by Gujarat Police will not yield anything. Gohil said as long as the minister remained in office, no one could expect justice from the government.
Gohil also expressed shock and grief over the Gambhira bridge collapse, which led to the death of at least nine people. He said, this again was the result of the “corruption” that is prevailing in Gujarat under the BJP regime.
He said, people had complained about the dilapidated condition of the bridge as it would shake, but the authorities did not take any note.
The Congress said that the bridge had also been repaired and demanded an inquiry to find out what went wrong despite a huge amount of money spent on its repair.
