New Delhi, Jan 4 (IANS) As the Congress party has announced a nationwide protest, Union Minister Giriraj Singh on Sunday asserted that the Viksit Bharat GRAMG Bill is rooted in Gandhian principles and is focused on the welfare of the poor.
“Guided by the ideals of Mahatma Gandhi, we have continued his work for the poor, implementing it for 125 days…” Giriraj Singh said, countering the Congress-led opposition’s claims that the bill undermines rural employment guarantees.
Congress has alleged that the new law weakens the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA) and has announced a nationwide stir from January 10.
Echoing the government’s stance, Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said the Centre would launch a broad outreach effort to communicate the intent of the legislation to the public. “For this, our national leaders will organise programmes to reach accurate information to the public. They all will participate, go among the people, and share the truth. We will always uphold the truth because it concerns the interests of workers, farmers, the employees involved in the schemes, and the villages…” he said, stressing that misinformation was being spread about the bill.
The ministers’ remarks come amid sharp criticism from the Congress, which on Saturday announced a 45-day nationwide agitation against the GRAMG Act starting January 10. The party has alleged that the law “silently kills” MGNREGA and dilutes the legal right to work guaranteed to rural citizens.
The announcement was made at a press briefing at the Congress office in New Delhi by party general secretary K.C. Venugopal and senior leader Jairam Ramesh. Venugopal said the Congress has finalised a detailed plan to protect MGNREGA through a countrywide campaign titled ‘MNREGA Bachao Abhiyan’.
“GRAMG is a law enacted by the Indian government. There was a serious discussion about the future course of action against this law, and the Congress National Committee decided to launch a strong campaign throughout the country to save MNREGA,” Venugopal said.
Calling the legislation harmful, he added, “This law wants to kill MGNREGA. Because of MGNREGA, hunger reduced, migration declined, and roads, canals and dams were created. During the Covid period and economic crisis, MGNREGA became a protective net for the people of this country.”
With the government defending the bill as pro-poor and the Congress mobilising protests nationwide, the Viksit Bharat GRAMG Bill has emerged as a major flashpoint in the political debate over rural employment and welfare policy.
--IANS
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