BJP Defends New Employment Law Amid Sonia Gandhi's Criticism

BJP Responds to Sonia Gandhi's Claims

On Monday, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) countered Congress leader Sonia Gandhi's remarks regarding the new law that replaces the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA). The BJP labeled her criticisms as based on 'mischaracterizations, selective memory, and outright falsehoods.'

The president approved the 2025 Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Bill on Sunday, just two days after it was passed by Parliament amidst opposition protests. This new legislation will take the place of MGNREGA.

Initially introduced in 2005 by the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance, MGNREGA aimed to enhance livelihood security for rural households by guaranteeing 100 days of unskilled work annually for those who sought it, covering all districts across the nation.

The new law will increase the guaranteed workdays to 125, with states responsible for 40% of the costs. The Union government will still cover the wage component, while states will handle material and administrative expenses.

This legislation has faced backlash from economists and labor rights advocates.

In a recent article in The Hindu, Gandhi emphasized that MGNREGA was developed through extensive public consultations and was unanimously passed by both Houses of Parliament.

She criticized the Modi government for pushing through the abolition of MGNREGA without proper discussion or respect for parliamentary processes, stating, 'The removal of Mahatma Gandhi's name was just the beginning. The very framework of MGNREGA, crucial to its effectiveness, has been destroyed.'

Gandhi argued that the new law undermines the concept of a legal employment guarantee, stating, 'MGNREGA established the right to work across rural India.' She expressed concern that the new bill limits the scheme's scope to rural areas as determined by the Union government.

She further claimed that by shifting a significant portion of the financial burden onto the states through a new funding model, the Modi government is discouraging states from providing work under the scheme, exacerbating their already strained finances.

In response, BJP spokesperson Amit Malviya asserted that the VB-G RAM G is not a demolition of MGNREGA but rather a necessary reform. He dismissed Gandhi's assertion that MGNREGA emerged from widespread consultation as 'far from the truth,' stating it was primarily driven by the National Advisory Council.

Malviya maintained that the legal right to employment remains intact, emphasizing that the new law strengthens the guarantee by increasing workdays from 100 to 125. He also refuted claims that the Union government is shifting financial burdens to the states, clarifying that MGNREGA was never fully funded by the Centre.

He concluded that the new funding model formalizes and rationalizes financial responsibilities, positioning states as equal partners rather than mere implementers of top-down directives.