The Arunachal Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) on Sunday strongly opposed the Centre’s decision to rename and restructure the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), warning that the move weakens the legal rights of rural workers and dilutes the original spirit of the scheme. Addressing the MGNREGA Bachao Sangram outreach programme at Roing in Lower Dibang Valley, APCC president Bosiram Siram demanded an immediate rollback of the renaming of MGNREGA as VB-G RAM G. He described the change as “political, ideological and dangerous” and alleged that it was aimed at erasing the legacy associated with Mahatma Gandhi.
Siram said the employment scheme was passed by Parliament as a rights-based law and cannot be altered at the will of any government. “MGNREGA is not the personal property of any ruling party. It is a legal right given to the rural poor,” he said, according to a party statement issued here.The APCC chief further claimed that recent structural changes have weakened the legal guarantee under the scheme. He pointed out that earlier, workers had a clear legal right to demand 100 days of employment in a year. “Today, employment depends largely on budgetary allocation. Where is the guarantee? Where is the right?” he asked.Siram also criticised the introduction of a 60-day monsoon pause, stating that the rainy season is a time of severe hardship for farmers and tribal communities. He said stopping work during this period was unjustified and went against the basic purpose of providing livelihood support when it is needed the most.
Raising concerns over AI-based monitoring, biometric attendance and geotagging, Siram said such measures risk excluding poor labourers in remote and difficult areas. “Technology should help workers, not harass them or push them out of the system,” he said.Reiterating the Congress party’s position, Siram called for restoring the scheme in its original form. “Rollback VB-G RAM G. Restore MGNREGA. Reinstate its original legal strength,” he said.
