The Parliament of India has passed the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Employment and Livelihood Mission Gramin (VB-G RAM G) Bill, replacing the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Act (MGNREGA), sparking criticism from opposition leaders. Rahul Gandhi, the Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition (LoP), strongly condemned the move, asserting that the Modi government has effectively demolished twenty years of MGNREGA in one day.

Rahul Gandhi’s Criticism of VB-G RAM G

According to Rahul Gandhi, the VB-G RAM G Bill is not a revamp but a replacement that centralises control in Delhi and transforms a rights-based, demand-driven scheme into a rationed model. Gandhi argued that MGNREGA had historically provided rural workers with bargaining power, contributing to higher wages, better working conditions, and reduced exploitation and distress migration.

He further stated, “Last night, the Modi government demolished twenty years of MGNREGA in one day. VB-G RAM G isn’t a revamp of MGNREGA. It demolishes the rights-based, demand-driven guarantee and turns it into a rationed scheme controlled from Delhi. It is anti-state and anti-village by design.”

Gandhi highlighted how MGNREGA had been crucial during the COVID-19 pandemic, safeguarding crores of rural households from hunger and debt. He emphasised that women, Dalits, Adivasis, and poor OBC communities benefited the most from the scheme. By capping work and introducing provisions that could deny employment, Gandhi argued that VB-G RAM G weakens the one instrument rural India had for protection against poverty and exploitation.

Parliamentary Process and Opposition Response

The VB-G RAM G Bill faced resistance in both houses. The Opposition staged a walkout, demanding that the Bill be sent to a Standing Committee for proper scrutiny. However, their demand was rejected, allowing the Bill to be passed swiftly: Lok Sabha on Thursday afternoon and Rajya Sabha at midnight through a voice vote.

Rahul Gandhi criticised the manner in which the Bill was passed, describing it as bulldozed through Parliament. He accused the government of weakening labour rights and centralising power while framing it as reform. Gandhi added, “PM Modi’s targets are clear: weaken labour, weaken the leverage of rural India, especially Dalits, OBCs, and Adivasis, centralise power, and then sell slogans as ‘reform’.”

Impact on Rural Workers

MGNREGA has historically been a cornerstone of rural development in India, providing guaranteed employment, improving rural infrastructure, and supporting marginalized communities. Its effectiveness was particularly evident during economic crises like COVID-19, where it prevented widespread hunger and debt, especially benefiting women, Dalits, Adivasis, and the poorest OBCs.

With VB-G RAM G replacing MGNREGA, concerns have been raised that the rationing of jobs and centralised control may disproportionately affect these vulnerable groups, limiting their access to guaranteed employment and associated social security benefits.

Summary

The VB-G RAM G Bill marks a significant change in India’s rural employment landscape. While the government presents it as a modernisation and restructuring of MGNREGA, critics like Rahul Gandhi argue it dismantles a rights-based scheme, centralises power, and risks leaving the most vulnerable rural communities without adequate support. The controversy is expected to continue as implementation begins, with the Opposition urging judicial and legislative scrutiny to safeguard the interests of rural workers across India.

The debate over VB-G RAM G underscores the ongoing tension between centralised policy reforms and grassroots employment rights, and its impact on rural India will be closely watched in the coming months.

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