RJD opposes MNREGA repeal, calls move ‘insult to Mahatma’
“The RJD strongly opposes the repeal of the MNREGA law and declares the decision to create a new law as anti-national and an insult to Mahatma Gandhi,” RJD spokesperson Kailash Yadav said in a press statement issued in the evening.
The Jharkhand unit of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) criticised the repeal of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA), 2005, on Monday, calling the move to introduce a new law in its place “an insult to the Mahatma”.
“Today in Parliament, a proposal was moved to repeal the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005, and a decision was taken to create a new law as the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Aajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G). The RJD strongly opposes the repeal of the MNREGA law and declares the decision to create a new law as anti-national and an insult to Mahatma Gandhi,” RJD spokesperson Kailash Yadav said in a press statement issued in the evening.
Yadav said that India is the land of Bapu, who united the country’s people, cutting across caste, creed and religion, and paved the path for a secular India.
“India is the land of Bapu, who, through his struggle and by teaching the lessons of truth and non-violence for the country’s independence, brought freedom to India. His vision for the national interest was very broad. Due to his visionary personality, he gave a message of unity to the people of Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Christian, Jain and Buddhist communities in India, because of which India became a secular state,” Yadav said.
Yadav also expressed concern over the Union government’s policy of changing names.
“It is known that Guru Rabindranath Tagore, who wrote the national anthem, called Bapu ‘Mahatma’, due to which he received the title of Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi. During the UPA-I government led by Dr Manmohan Singh in 2005, the then rural development minister, former Union minister Dr Raghuvansh Prasad Singh, enacted the MNREGA law in the name of Mahatma Gandhi, implementing a 100-day employment guarantee scheme for labourers in the country. Regrettably, the (Narendra) Modi government at the Centre is engaged in changing the names of various institutions and schemes in the country,” Yadav said, while demanding an employment guarantee of 150 days.
“The RJD demands that, considering the rampant poverty, unemployment, migration and inflation in the country, the employment guarantee scheme for labourers should be increased to 150 days,” he added.
Meanwhile, responding to the RJD’s statement, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson Pratul Shahdeo said the introduction of a new law was not a sign of disrespect to Mahatma Gandhi.
“The process of formulating a new law has started to ensure that people in rural areas get more jobs. The short form of the law is VB-G RAM G. The word ‘Ram’ is associated with the law. Mahatma Gandhi always respected Ram, which is reflected in his prayer ‘Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram’. The last words that came from his mouth were ‘Hey Ram!’ In these circumstances, how can anyone say it is an attempt to insult Mahatma Gandhi?” Shahdeo said.
