VB-G RAM G Bill a plot to finish rural job scheme, absolves Centre of its duties, says Opposition

The Bill, if it becomes a law, will likely put a higher financial burden on the States’ exchequer since it has a provision for sharing funding of the scheme.

Rajya Sabha LoP and Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge said that “is not just about renaming” the rural job scheme, but “is a BJP-RSS conspiracy to end” it. “Removing Gandhi’s name as the Sangh (RSS) completes 100 years shows how hollow and pretentious Modi’s gesture of offering flowers to Gandhi on foreign soil is.”

Congress, he said, will stron­gly oppose the Bill and will come out on the streets against “any such decision of this arrogant regime that is against the poor and workers”.

Congress Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra criticised the government, asking what is the intention behind removing the name of Mahatma Gandhi who is considered the tallest leader not just in India but in the world. “I really don’t understand what the objective is (behind removing Gandhi’s name). What is their intention?” she told reporters in the Parliament House complex.

“Whenever the name of a scheme is changed, there are so many changes that have to be made in offices, stationery… for which money is spent. So, what is the benefit?” she asked.

Congress MP K C Venugopal said on X, “Erasing his (Mahatma Gandhi’s) name is a deep insult to our national consciousness. This regime will go to any lengths to remove Gandhi from our country’s psyche, but he lives in all our hearts…”

TMC MP Sagarika Ghose said it was unfortunate and called it an “insult” to Gandhiji. “It is also an insult to Bengal and Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore as we know it was Tagore who gave the title of Mahatma to Gandhiji. This is another exam­ple of the government’s anti-Bangla mindset,” said Ghose.

SP MP Awadhesh Prasad said instead of just changing the name, the government should focus on paying wages to workers, many of whom have not received payment for years. “Considering rising inflation, MGNREGA wages should be increased to at least Rs 1,000 per day,” said Prasad.

Opposing the Bill, the CPI(M) said it “completely negates the basic character of the MNREGA, which is a universal demand driven law providing a limited right to work”. “It legally absolves the Union government of its responsibility to allocate funds according to the demand,” according to a statement issued by the party.

It said that the “government’s claim of increasing guaranteed employment from 100 to 125 days is merely cosmetic”. “In reality, the Bill opens the door to the exclusion of large sections of rural households in the name of rationalisation of job cards,” the CP(I)M said. The party flagged that a “major concern” was the proposed shift in the funding pattern and that the Bill reduces the Centre’s “responsibility for wage payments from 100% to a 60:40 sharing arrangement for major states”. The party said that the name-change reflects the “BJP-RSS ideological bent”.

CPI Rajya Sabha member P Sandosh Kumar said “instead of allocating more funds, the Centre’s share has been drastically reduced.”

Meanwhile, Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan strongly protested the decision, saying it shows “the level of hatred the Sangh Parivar has” for the name and ideas of the father of the nation.

He said the content of the Bill is designed to impose a huge financial burden on states. In a Facebook post, Vijayan said, “The Bill… attempts to implem­ent a decision that undermines the very fundamental objectives of the employment guarantee scheme.” Kerala minister M B Rajesh said if the “cost sharing formula is implemen­ted, Kerala will incur an additional burden of Rs 2,000 crore a year.”

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