Controversy Erupts Over New VB-G RAM G Bill Replacing MGNREGA

The Communist Party of India (CPI) opposes the new Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Bill, replacing the MGNREGA. The CPI accuses the government of undermining workers' rights, converting a guaranteed employment scheme into a discretionary measure, and criticizing the Bill's removal of Mahatma Gandhi's name.

The Communist Party of India (CPI) has voiced strong opposition to the government's introduction of the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Bill, also known as the VB-G RAM G Bill. The Bill aims to replace the longstanding Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), sparking allegations from the CPI of dismantling a rights-based law and converting it into a discretionary scheme.

CPI General Secretary D Raja criticized the removal of Mahatma Gandhi's name from the Bill, claiming it reflects an ideological shift, which, he stated, 'confirms the BJP and its mentors as disciples of Godse.' Such changes, Raja argued, undermine the foundational Right to Work and reduce rural workers to being subject to official quotas and contractor-driven systems.

Despite promises of increased workdays to 125 annually, the proposed Bill removes the demand-driven element intrinsic to MGNREGA, potentially leaving workers vulnerable and shifting financial burdens to fiscally strained state governments. The CPI calls for nationwide protests on December 22, urging democratic forces to resist these changes.

(With inputs from agencies.)