Sonia Gandhi Slams Modi Govt Over MGNREGA Reforms: 'A Black Law that Favors Delhi Over Rural India'

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Congress leader Sonia Gandhi has strongly criticized the Centre's decision to replace the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) with the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Bill. Gandhi, who was the driving force behind the original MGNREGA legislation 20 years ago, accused the Narendra Modi-led government of 'bulldozing' the original law without considering the concerns of opposition parties. The new bill, which was passed in Parliament this week, aims to provide 125 days of mandatory wage employment, up from the original 100 days. However, Gandhi argued that the reforms will lead to a 'black law' that favors the interests of the government in Delhi over the needs of rural India. Gandhi pointed out that the original MGNREGA was a game-changer for millions of rural families, providing them with a means of livelihood during the Covid-19 pandemic. She also highlighted that the village panchayats gained strength through the scheme, which was a major step towards achieving Mahatma Gandhi's vision of village swaraj in India. The Centre has maintained that the new bill aims to address corruption and ensure transparency in spending. However, Gandhi claimed that the government is weakening the law and attacking the interests of the poor and farmers. She also alleged that the new legislation will allow the government to decide how much employment to provide and where, rather than giving villages the autonomy to make their own decisions. The opposition parties, led by the Congress, have been vocal in their criticism of the new bill, with several MPs raising slogans and tearing copies of the bill during the Lok Sabha debate. The government has allocated ₹95,000 crore for the new bill, which has been passed through a voice vote in the lower house of Parliament.