Digvijay claims he is not anti-employee

Bhopal, Mar 12 (UNI) Former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Digvijay Singh today said in the Assembly that he was never against government employees though the BJP succeeded in misleading them for political gain.

On the other hand, the BJP regime ''revealed an anti-employee attitude'' by not sanctioning additional dearness allowance of nine per cent on the central pattern, Mr Singh alleged while initiating the debate on the state's budgetary demands for 2007-08.

Accusing the BJP of not being sincere about fulfilling poll promises, Mr Singh said the BJP derived political gain in the 2003 Assembly election by promising to regularise gurujis, shiksha karmis and other contract teachers. The government was yet to take a decision on the Dube Committee report to regularise them, he pointed out.

Stating that the rules governing parent-teacher associations were being flouted to appoint teachers to head such committees, he said that the BJP government was bypassing rules framed for people's empowerment. Contrary to rules, teachers were heading such committees in several schools, he said, adding that no fund was being provided to water-user committees to repair irrigation canals.

Mr Singh also alleged that the RSS was interfering with the education system in an attempt to foment hatred among the youth against minority communities.

The former Chief Minister said that administrative expenses had been enhanced by reviving divisional-level offices, which were abolished during his rule. The BJP regime was trying to derive strength from a ''committed'' bureaucracy, he alleged.

Stating that budgetary allocation for the social and health sectors had been curtailed, he added that National Rural Health Mission funds were utilised for publicity particularly hoardings with pictures of Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. The BJP had also forgotten its decision, taken at the Pachmarhi session, to desist from personalised publicity, he pointed out.

Despite receiving funds from the Centre, he said, the government had not raised destitute pension to Rs 200 per month from April, 2006.

UNI