MGNREGA Uproar: Congress Accuses Modi Government of Job Rights Erosion

The Congress has accused the Modi government of 'desecrating' MGNREGA by passing a new bill that replaces it without proper parliamentary procedure. The opposition is planning protests and discussions focusing on the erosion of job rights and intends to challenge the law they deem a 'serious assault'.

The Congress party has strongly criticized the Modi government's recent legislative actions, alleging that the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) has been 'desecrated' by the passage of a new bill. This move, Congress claims, overturns two decades of progress achieved under MGNREGA.

The Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) Bill, which replaces MGNREGA, was passed in Parliament without consulting key stakeholders, according to the opposition party. Congress plans to address this issue during a high-level meeting on December 27, where potential counteractions will be discussed.

Jairam Ramesh, Congress general secretary, highlighted the importance of MGNREGA through past achievements documented in studies, while senior party members, including Sonia Gandhi, have condemned the new legislation as detrimental to rural job rights. Nationwide protests and further discourse on this 'serious assault' are set to unfold in the coming days.

(With inputs from agencies.)