New Delhi [India], December 20 : Following the passage of the VB-G RAM G Bill (Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin)) in the Parliament, Congress launched an attack on all fronts against the Central Government for replacing the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).
Congress targeted the BJP government for increasing the "burden" on states by introducing the 60:40 formula to share the cost of ensuring 125 days of work. They also said that the BJP has "disrespected" Mahatma Gandhi by renaming MGNREGA and raised questions about the manner in which the VB-G RAM G Bill was passed in Parliament.
The party decided to hold a Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting next week, on December 27, to decide on its plan of opposing the VB G RAM G Bill nationwide.
Earlier today, Rajya Sabha MP Sonia Gandhi accused the Centre of 'bulldozing' the MGNREGA, which proved to be a lifeline for the poor during the COVID times.
"In the last 11 years, the Modi government has ignored the interests of the unemployed, the poor, and the deprived in rural areas, making every effort to weaken MGNREGA, even though during the COVID times, it proved to be a lifeline for the poor," Sonia Gandhi said.
"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," she added.
Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar vowed to launch a big movement in the state against the bill.
Speaking to the media, Shivakumar said, "They wanted to change Gandhi's name. They wanted to kill this scheme. A big movement will start against this decision in Karnataka."
Jharkhand Mukti Morcha MP Mahua Maji said that the bill has increased the pressure on the states to provide for the workers financially, reducing the responsibility on the centre.
"...how will a state, which is already in debt, pay the workers? This is a deliberate and unfair practice that is not suitable for rural labourers. This will fuel unemployment in the country," Mahua Maji said.
In retaliation for Congress's slandering, the BJP accused the opposition of criticising the VB-G RAM G bill for its name. Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav questioned the party's aversion to Lord Ram.
"The opposition's job is to oppose, and our job is to work. We all know that the scheme was launched under the name NREGA. They added Mahatma Gandhi's name to it in the context of the elections. I still haven't understood why the Congress party has such an aversion to the name of Lord Ram and what exactly they are angry about," CM Yadav said.
BJP leader Gaurav Vallabh said, "Their problem is that the legislation passed includes Lord Ram's name; they have a problem with that. Rahul Gandhi hates Lord Ram. The second major issue is that this is intended to empower the rural economy and rural youth by providing employment. These two are their problems."
BJP MP Nishikant Dubey asked whether the opposition wanted to give money to the poor.
Speaking to ANI, Dubey said, "In this country, the responsibility of implementing the laws passed by Parliament lies with the states. The big question is whether they (the opposition) want to give money to the poor or not? Was there corruption in MNREGA or not? To stop corruption we have said that without biometric payment, it will not be done. Secondly, we have said that there will be a Lokpal in every sector."
During the recently concluded winter session, the Parliament passed the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB--G RAM G) Bill, with the Rajya Sabha approving the legislation hours after the Lok Sabha passed it.
The Bill guarantees 125 days of wage employment per rural household, up from the existing 100 days, for adult members willing to undertake unskilled manual work.
As per Section 22 of the Bill, the fund-sharing pattern between the Central Government and the State Governments will be 60:40, while for the North Eastern States, Himalayan States, and Union Territories (Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, and Jammu and Kashmir), it will be 90:10.
Section 6 of the Bill allows the state governments to notify in advance, a period aggregating to sixty days in a financial year, covering the peak agricultural seasons of sowing and harvesting.