Sonia Gandhi slams Centre over MGNREGA replacement, calls new law ‘Black Act’
Says decision to replace scheme has badly hit farmers, daily wage workers and landless families
PTC Web Desk: Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Saturday strongly criticised the Modi government over changes to the MGNREGA, saying the Congress would oppose the new law as it threatens the livelihood of people in rural India.
In a video message addressed to villagers and rural workers, Sonia Gandhi said the Centre’s decision to replace the employment guarantee scheme had badly affected farmers, daily wage workers and landless families, many of whom rely on the programme for survival.
She alleged that the Union Government’s policies over the last several years had weakened support systems for the rural poor and that the new law showed a clear move away from welfare-based governance.
Recalling the launch of MGNREGA during the tenure of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, she said the Act was passed with support from all political parties and went on to play a major role in improving rural livelihoods.
She said the scheme gave people a legal right to work, reduced the need for migration in search of jobs, strengthened gram panchayats and provided income security to the poorest sections of society.
According to Sonia Gandhi, MGNREGA was closely linked to Mahatma Gandhi’s vision of Gram Swaraj, as it promoted self-reliance, decentralised planning and dignity of labour at the village level.
She accused the government of making major changes to the scheme without discussion or consultation, including removing Mahatma Gandhi’s name, and said these decisions were taken without involving Parliament or the Opposition.
Sonia Gandhi warned that under the new system, important decisions about rural employment would be taken in Delhi, ignoring the real needs of villages.
She stressed that MGNREGA was meant to serve the people and not any political party, and said weakening it would have serious consequences for rural employment in the long run.
She added that Congress leaders and workers across the country were prepared to take the issue to the ground and mobilise people against the changes.
On Thursday, Parliament passed the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) — VB-G RAM G Bill, which replaces the 20-year-old MGNREGA and promises 125 days of wage employment each year. The Bill was cleared amid loud protests from Opposition parties.
Defending the move, Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said the new law was introduced to fix problems in the previous scheme.
However, Opposition parties have objected to the removal of Mahatma Gandhi’s name and accused the Centre of pushing more financial responsibility onto the states.