Sonia Gandhi slams VB-G RAM G Bill, says Centre bulldozed MGNREGA

Lashing out at the Centre over the passage of the VB-G RAM G Bill in Parliament, Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Saturday (December 20) accused the Modi government of bulldozing the MGNREGA. Sonia, in a video message, dubbed the VB-G RAM G as a “block law” that is aimed at repealing the MGNREGA, adding that it will be resisted by lakhs of Congress workers across the country.

‘Centre attacked interests of farmers’

Sonia further alleged that the Centre, by weakening MGNREGA, has struck the interests of crores of farmers, labourers, and the landless across the country, adding that over the past 11 years, it had ignored the interests of the rural poor.

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Recalling the passage of the MGNREGA Act in Parliament 20 years ago, Sonia said that she clearly remembers the time when Manmohan Singh was the Prime Minister, and the Act was passed in Parliament by consensus.

‘MGNREGA reduced migration’

She said that due to MGNREGA, migration in search of work came to a halt, a legal right to employment was provided, and gram panchayats were empowered.

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"Through MGNREGA, a concrete step was taken towards realising the dream of an India based on Mahatma Gandhi's vision of Gram Swaraj," she said.

"But it is a matter of great regret that just recently, the government ran a bulldozer over MGNREGA. Not only was Mahatma Gandhi's name removed, but the form and structure of MGNREGA was changed arbitrarily without any deliberation, without consulting anyone, without taking the opposition into confidence," the Congress leader alleged.

‘VB-G RAM G totally under Centre’s control’

She said under the new law, who gets how much employment, where and in what manner, will be decided by the government in Delhi, which is far removed from the ground realities.

Claiming that the Congress had a major role in bringing and implementing MGNREGA, she said it was never a party-specific matter.

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"It was a scheme connected to the national interest and the people's interest. By weakening this law, the Modi government has attacked the interests of crores of farmers, labourers, and landless poor in the rural sector across the country.

"We are all ready to counter this attack. Twenty years ago, I too fought to secure the right to employment for our poor brothers and sisters; today, I remain committed to fighting against this black law. All Congress leaders like me and lakhs of workers stand with you," Gandhi said in her video statement.

The Congress earlier claimed that it would take its fight against the repeal law to the grassroots.

The backdrop

Parliament on Thursday passed the VB-G RAM G Bill that seeks to replace the 20-year-old Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, or MGNREGA. The proposed bill that guarantees 125 days of rural wage employment every year was met with vociferous protests by the Opposition.

Defending the bill, Union minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan asserted that it was needed to fix shortcomings in the old scheme.

Also Read: 'VB-G RAM G Bill undermines MGNREGA spirit', says Shashi Tharoor

The Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) Bill was passed by the Rajya Sabha with a voice vote, hours after the Lok Sabha cleared it on Thursday.

The Opposition strongly protested the removal of Mahatma Gandhi's name from the MGNREGA, and said that the government was putting the financial burden on states.

(With agency inputs)