Cong leaders protest Central govt policies

Khammam: The Congress party on Sunday staged a protest in Khammam against the BJP-led central government, alleging that its policies were anti-people and undermining the legacy of Mahatma Gandhi.

Addressing a dharna near the Gandhi statue at Gandhi Chowk, District Congress Committee (DCC) president Nuthi Satyanarayana Goud said the BJP’s governance over the last 11 years reflected what he described as the ideology of Nathuram Godse, and accused the ruling party of showing disregard for Mahatma Gandhi’s values.

The protest was held following a call given by the All India Congress Committee (AICC) and as per the directions of the Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC). City Congress Committee president Nagandla Deepak Choudary, former DCC president Puvvala Durgaprasad, and other party leaders participated in the demonstration.

Goud alleged that the Centre had adopted several anti-poor policies and misused public funds, leading to an increase in poverty instead of its eradication.

He said the Congress, during its tenure, had introduced the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) to provide employment and prevent hunger-related deaths, but accused the BJP government of weakening the scheme and attempting to remove Gandhi’s name from it.

He asserted that the Congress would continue to fight in the interest of public welfare and warned of protests if what he termed the “double standards” of the BJP were not corrected.

Later, a meeting was held under the chairmanship of Block Congress president Yerram Balagangadhar Tilak, where several senior leaders, including state and district-level functionaries, criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the alleged move to rename the MGNREGA scheme.

Leaders from various Congress wings, including women, youth, OBC, minority and allied organisations, along with local representatives, were present at the programme.