New Delhi, 19 December (H.S.): Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi has strongly opposed the passage of the Viksit Bharat–Grameen Rozgar evam Aajeevika Mission Guarantee (VB-GRAM JI) scheme in Parliament, calling it a direct assault on the rights of rural citizens.

Gandhi alleged that by replacing the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), the Modi government has dismantled a rights-based framework that stood firm for two decades.

In a post on social media platform X, Rahul Gandhi said that the government’s claim of the new VB-GRAM JI scheme being a “reform” of MGNREGA is misleading. He asserted that the new program abolishes the demand-driven and legally guaranteed employment structure, transforming it into a centrally controlled and limited scheme.

Recalling the COVID-19 pandemic period, Gandhi emphasized that when the economy came to a standstill and livelihoods vanished, MGNREGA served as a lifeline, preventing millions from sinking into hunger and debt. He further highlighted that women had been the primary beneficiaries of MGNREGA, contributing to over half of the total person-days generated every year.

“The restriction of employment programs will first push women, Dalits, Adivasis, landless laborers, and the poorest OBC groups to the margins,” Gandhi cautioned.

Criticizing the manner in which the bill was passed, he said that the government pushed it through Parliament without adequate scrutiny, expert consultation, or public hearing. The opposition’s demand to refer the bill to the Standing Committee was also disregarded.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar