Paban Singh Ghatowar slams renaming of MGNREGA, calls it ‘unfortunate & surprising’

A CORRESPONDENT

DIBRUGARH: Senior Congress leader and former Union Minister Paban Singh Ghatowar on Saturday launched a sharp attack against the Central government's decision to rename the flagship rural employment scheme, MGNREGA, calling the move "unfortunate and surprising."

Addressing media persons at Rajiv Bhavan in Dibrugarh, the five-time MP and former DoNER Minister lambasted the rebranding of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act to the 'Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Grameen)' or VB G RAM G.

"The omission of Mahatma Gandhi's name from the scheme is not just unfortunate; it is surprising and raises serious questions. What is the motive behind this deliberate erasure? MGNREGA is not just a scheme; it carries the legacy and ideology of the Father of the Nation, which ensured dignity of labour and social security for the poorest," Ghatowar said. Ghatowar stated that MGNREGA is a UPA-era scheme that has been a critical safety net for millions in rural India. By removing Gandhi's name, he argued, the government is attempting to distance a successful welfare programme from its original ethos and creators.

"This appears to be a calculated attempt to rewrite history and undermine the contributions of previous governments. The name 'Mahatma Gandhi' symbolised a commitment to rural upliftment. Its removal is symbolic of a larger shift away from those core principles," he added.

The veteran leader's comments add to the growing political controversy surrounding the renaming, which opposition parties have labelled as "vendetta politics" aimed at erasing the Congress-led UPA's legacy.

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