BJP govt. waived loans of ₹16 lakh crore for corporate giants but refused to release MNREGS funds, says Speaker

The BJP-led Union government, which had waived ₹16.50 lakh crore loan to 100 corporate giants, mostly from Gujarat, has shown that it is merciless by refusing to release the wages of workers hired under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, Tamil Nadu Assembly Speaker M. Appavu said

The BJP-led Union government, which had waived ₹16.50 lakh crore loan to 100 corporate giants, mostly from Gujarat, has shown that it is merciless by refusing to release the wages of workers hired under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, Tamil Nadu Assembly Speaker M. Appavu said.

He told presspersons after inaugurating ‘Isai Sangamam’ folk arts festival in Palayamkottai on Saturday evening that BJP-led Centre had shown mercy on the corporate giants by waiving loans to the tune of over ₹16.50 lakh crore and most of the 100-odd beneficiaries of this waiver were from Gujarat. The Centre, especially its Income Tax Department, did not even check if these loan waiver beneficiaries and their benamis were still holding properties worth thousands of crores of rupees.

Even though the Tamil Nadu government, after indefinitely waiting, had written to the Centre seeking release of ₹4,000-odd crore for the work executed in Tamil Nadu under the MGNREGS, the Centre remained silent.

“If this Central Government refuses to release MGNREGS fund to Tamil Nadu and waive crop and the education loans, then you can easily understand that this government is only for the rich and the super-rich and not for the poor and the poorest of the poor. It’s a gross injustice,” Mr. Appavu said.

Thamizhaga Vetri Kazhagam founder president and actor Vijay, who was yet to start his fieldwork for the poor and targeted only the DMK, should prove that he had not floated his party at the instance of the BJP, he said.

Inaugurating the event by beating the ‘thavil’, Mr. Appavu listed the welfare schemes introduced by the State government for the welfare of the folk artists and the awards instituted in recognition of these art forms.

Folk artists from various parts of Tamil Nadu showcased their skills in a range of folk art forms.