Guwahati: The Indian National Congress on Sunday mounted a strong attack on the BJP-led NDA government over the reported renaming of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) as Viksit Bharat Guarantee Rozgar Aajeevika Mission Gramin (VBG–Ramji), alleging that the move is an attempt to erase legacy, mask governance failures, and weaken one of the country’s most important welfare schemes.
Addressing a press conference at the Manavendra Sharma Complex in Guwahati, All India Congress Committee (AICC) national spokesperson Dr. Ragini Nayak said the Modi government has made a habit of renaming schemes launched by previous Congress governments instead of focusing on effective implementation.
“Those who do not work themselves spend their time renaming the work done by others,” she remarked, questioning the government’s record over the last 11 years.
Dr. Nayak alleged that several flagship Congress-era programmes have been rebranded and projected as new initiatives.
Citing the example of Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan being renamed Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, she said the BJP adopted Mahatma Gandhi’s imagery but failed to uphold his ideals.
“The BJP and RSS harbour ideological hostility towards Gandhi and Nehru. That is why they did not hesitate to remove Mahatma Gandhi’s name from MGNREGA,” she said.
Taking aim at the new name of the employment scheme, Dr. Nayak accused the BJP of using the name of Lord Ram to divert attention from governance shortcomings.
“The Congress has no issue with the name of Ram. Our objection is to using his name to hide failures and to politicise faith,” she said, adding that the newly coined acronym is confusing and inaccessible to ordinary citizens.
She further alleged that the renaming is not merely symbolic but part of a larger effort to dilute MGNREGA.
According to Dr. Nayak, while the UPA government had ensured guaranteed employment as a legal right under Article 21 of the Constitution, the new framework reduces it to a promise without enforceable rights.
She also criticised the Centre’s decision to reduce its funding share, stating that states would now have to bear 40 percent of the cost despite pending GST dues amounting to thousands of crores.
Dr. Nayak warned that provisions under the new scheme could make it easier to halt work, undermining the guarantee of employment days.
“This is a systematic attempt to weaken and ultimately dismantle the world’s largest employment guarantee programme,” she alleged, asserting that the Congress would resist any such move.
The AICC spokesperson also addressed the National Herald case, claiming that a special court has exposed it as a politically motivated and fabricated case.
She accused the BJP of misusing central investigative agencies to harass opposition leaders and suppress dissent.
Referring to Rahul Gandhi’s questioning by the Enforcement Directorate, Dr. Nayak said no wrongdoing was established despite prolonged interrogation, which she described as evidence of political vendetta.
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She further said that Rahul Gandhi’s campaign centred on constitutional values and social harmony has unsettled the BJP leadership.
“Leadership is not about a 56-inch chest but about understanding the pain of the people,” she said, adding that the Congress would continue to challenge what it termed anti-people policies of the Modi government.
Responding to questions from the media, AICC General Secretary in charge of Assam, Prithviraj Sathe, criticised the Prime Minister’s remarks regarding Bharat Ratna Gopinath Bordoloi.
He said it was unfortunate that historical facts were being misrepresented and reaffirmed the Congress’s long-standing association with and respect for Bordoloi’s legacy.
Sathe said the Congress has consistently worked to protect Assam’s identity, citing the Assam Accord and ongoing demands related to citizenship and community rights.
The Congress leaders reiterated that the party would continue to oppose what they described as attempts to undermine constitutional values, welfare rights, and democratic institutions.
APCC Media and Communication Department chairperson Bedabrata Bora and coordinator Harshad Sharma were also present at the press conference.
