"People demanded the changes": BJP leaders defend VB-G RAM-G Bill as Congress calls for protest

Jaipur (Rajasthan) [India], January 3 : Union Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal on Saturday stated that the changes made in the reformed Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgaar and Ajeevika Mission (VB-G RAM-G) Bill, 2025, are people-centric, alleging that the Congress' opposition to the bill is for "political reasons."
Speaking to ANI, he said that the people raised two issues in the two-decade-old Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).
"When we went among the people, the demand arose that we should make changes in MGNREGA. Congress leaders had also raised this issue. The first issue was that workers are not available during the farming season, so some changes should be made. The second issue was that drainage and security in villages had not been given enough importance, and changes should also be made to improve rural infrastructure...," Meghwal stated.
Defending the changes, he further accused Congress of politicising the matter,
"...Now that these changes have been made, the issue is being raised as to why the name was changed. This scheme was previously called the Jawahar Rozgar Yojana. They are opposing it for political reasons; very good changes have been made...," said Meghwal.
Additionally, Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat also defended the VB-G RAM-G Bill, stating that "the guarantee for employment has been made more stringent," adding that a provision for delayed payment has been made.
Speaking to ANI, Shekhawat said, "When the number of days of wages for labourers in the country has been increased from 100 to 125, the guarantee for employment has been made even more stringent, if the government fails in providing employment then provision for compensation has been made, and if payment is not made on time then provision for interest on delayed payment has been made..."
He further condemned the Congress for its opposition to the bill, characterising it as "anti-labour and anti-farmer."
"If the Congress party opposes even after all this, then it is exposing its anti-labour and anti-farmer character. The people of the country are watching and will respond...," the Union Minister stated.
On the other hand, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, commenting on the issue, said that the BJP leaders have lost the moral right to talk about Mahatma Gandhi.
Addressing a joint press conference with CM Siddaramaiah at Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's Home office, he said, "BJP leaders have lost the right to protest near Mahatma Gandhiji's statue. They have lost the right to hang Gandhiji's photo in their offices. They don't have any right over Gandhiji after they removed his name from the rural employment scheme MGNREGA. It is an insult to remove Gandhiji's name at a time when we are celebrating 100th anniversary of Gandhiji taking over as the Congress president."
The DCM further declared a state of protest until the bill is withdrawn.
"We will protest until the Centre withdraws the VB G RAM G legislation. We will organize protests at every gram panchayat. We will force the Centre to withdraw this legislation," he stated.
The DCM also stated that the new legislation affects the Karnataka fishing community, noting that MGNREGA helped rural people, whereas the new bill does not.
"They are ending a scheme which helped develop villages for the last 20 years. With the new legislation, our fishing community in coastal Karnataka will also get affected. Why are state BJP leaders silent about withdrawal of the rural employment scheme? MGNREGA helped the rural people develop their lands, build homes. But the new VBG RAM G doesn't allow that. It only allows Pradhan Mantri awas scheme," the DCM said.
"MGNREGA had allowed building of sheds for livestock, pig farming and sheep farming. You can go and see what we have achieved through MGNREGA in Kanakapura taluk. We have used the highest grants under this scheme. The BJP has taken away all this. Haveri district also has achieved significant progress with this scheme. But the Centre has taken away this from our rural people," he added.
Shivakumar further denounced the success of the VB-G RAM-G Bill.
"In MGNREGA, farmers could apply for grants for works in their farms. Now, the BJP government has given this right to contractors. This scheme will not be successful in any state. The Union Ministers from the State haven't welcomed this scheme, why is that?" he questioned.