New Delhi/Srinagar, Dec 20: Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Saturday criticised the Union government over the passage of legislation replacing the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), alleging that the Centre has weakened a key rural welfare law and harmed the interests of farmers, labourers and the rural poor.
In a video message, Gandhi said the new law amounted to “bulldozing” MGNREGA and claimed that the repeal would be resisted by Congress leaders and workers across the country. She said MGNREGA, enacted 20 years ago during the tenure of then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, was passed by Parliament through consensus and had provided a legal right to employment, reduced distress migration and strengthened gram panchayats. She alleged that the government altered the structure of the scheme without consultation and removed Mahatma Gandhi’s name, a move she termed regrettable.
Gandhi further claimed that under the amended law, decisions on employment would be centralised in Delhi, disconnected from ground realities. Reiterating the Congress’ role in introducing MGNREGA, she said the party would take its opposition to the new law to the grassroots.
Parliament on Thursday passed the Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) Bill, which seeks to replace the 20-year-old MGNREGA. The Bill, which guarantees 125 days of rural wage employment annually, was cleared by the Lok Sabha and later passed by the Rajya Sabha through a voice vote amid protests by Opposition members. The Opposition objected to the removal of Mahatma Gandhi’s name and alleged that the financial burden of the scheme was being shifted to states.
Defending the legislation, Union minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said the new law was required to address shortcomings in the existing scheme.
Meanwhile, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah also criticised the amended Bill, stating that it was detrimental to states as the Centre had transferred the scheme’s burden to them. Speaking to reporters in Srinagar, Abdullah said removing Mahatma Gandhi’s name from the programme was wrong and that several provisions of the Bill would adversely affect states like Jammu and Kashmir.
He also took a dig at the name of the new legislation, questioning its formulation. “There are many changes in this Bill that will harm states like ours and not benefit us,” he said.
Responding to questions about his stance on the Centre, Abdullah said he acknowledges positive steps taken by the Union government but does not hesitate to point out shortcomings. He added that while the Centre had addressed some issues, concerns such as the restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir remained unresolved.
The amended rural employment law has emerged as a new flashpoint between the ruling dispensation and the Opposition, with both sides maintaining sharply divergent views on its impact on rural employment and federal responsibilities.
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