The Congress strongly criticised reports claiming that the Centre is considering renaming the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) as the Pujya Bapu Rural Employment Scheme. The opposition party accused the government of attempting to rewrite history and weaken Mahatma Gandhi’s legacy.
MGNREGA is one of India’s major welfare programmes and was launched in 2005 to provide guaranteed employment to rural households. While the government has not officially confirmed the proposal, the reports have triggered sharp political reactions.
Reacting to the reports, Congress MP Akhilesh Prasad Singh said the move was part of a broader pattern. He claimed that the government was trying to change historical narratives and alter established symbols. According to him, such steps reflected a deliberate effort to reshape the country’s history.
Congress MP Tariq Anwar also criticised the reported decision, calling it unfortunate and politically driven. He said removing Gandhi’s name would hurt the sentiments of people who believe in Mahatma Gandhi and his ideology.
BJP Revolves Around Only Two Leaders
Commenting on statements made earlier by former Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh, Tariq Anwar said leaders who left the Congress would eventually realise their mistake. He claimed that the BJP revolves around only two leaders — Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah and said there is no third major leader in the party.
Priyanka Gandhi Questions
Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra questioned the purpose of renaming a nationwide scheme. She pointed out that such a change would involve heavy expenditure, including changes in offices, documents, and stationery. Calling the move unnecessary, she said public money should not be wasted on renaming exercises.
Several opposition leaders also argued that the focus should be on strengthening MGNREGA rather than changing its name.
More Voices Join In
Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi described the reported proposal as a distraction from important public issues. She said it showed disrespect towards the legacy associated with Mahatma Gandhi’s name.
Though no official announcement has been made, the reports have sparked a political debate, with opposition parties demanding clarity from the Centre and urging it to focus on improving the scheme instead of renaming it.
