Tharoor Slams New Rural Employment Bill, Cites Gandhian Legacy

Shashi Tharoor criticized the VB-G RAM G Bill in Lok Sabha, opposing the removal of Gandhi's name from a key rural employment program. The bill, led by the BJP, aims to replace MGNREGA, raising significant opposition. Crucially, it imposes a financial burden on states, potentially threatening the program's viability.

Shashi Tharoor, a Congress MP, strongly opposed the BJP-proposed VB-G RAM G Bill in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday, criticizing the removal of Mahatma Gandhi's name from the respected rural employment scheme.

Tharoor argued that the bill not only alters the scheme's administrative structure but also disrupts its philosophical foundation. He emphasized that imposing 40% of financial responsibility on state governments threatens the program's functionality, especially for poorer states, and called it fiscally irresponsible.

Despite the government's defense, spearheaded by Union minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, opposition leaders, including Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, condemned the act, accusing it of stripping the bill of its moral essence and historical legitimacy.

(With inputs from agencies.)