BJP's campaign on VB-G RAM G a knee-jerk reaction to Cong's save MGNREGA effort: Warring

Chandigarh, Jan 4 (PTI) The Punjab Congress on Sunday claimed the BJP's planned "awareness campaign" on the VB-G RAM G rural employment law was an attempt at defending the indefensible and a knee-jerk reaction to the opposition party's nationwide 'MGNREGA Bachao Sangram'.

The BJP brought the VB-G RAM G bill in Parliament stealthily on the penultimate day of the Winter Session, passed it hurriedly and was now trying to mislead the public, alleged Punjab Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring.

"If the BJP had nothing to hide and really wanted the people to know about the VB-G RAM G Act, why did it not allow a detailed debate on it in Parliament?" he posed.

Warring claimed that the ruling party at the Centre has realised that it has taken a "wrong step" and is now trying to divert public attention.

Punjab BJP chief Sunil Jakhar on Saturday said his party will launch a campaign from January 7 to make people aware of the Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) Act. He asserted that the new rural employment law, which replaced the UPA-era MGNREGA, has been formulated in the interest of the poor.

Warring claimed that the VB-G RAM G legislation will meet the same fate as that of the three farm laws, which the BJP government was forced to withdraw in 2021 with an apology to the farmers.

"While it was mainly the farmers who were agitated over the three agriculture laws, this time the BJP has targeted an entire section of the marginalised communities like the Dalits, the OBCs, the tribals and women who used to get benefited from the MGNREGA and are now up in arms against the party", he said in a statement.

Warring said the Congress has already announced the launch of the 'MGNREGA Bachao Sangram', and the BJP was worried about it. "The BJP has now initiated a last-minute firefighting measure, but it will not help." The Ludhiana MP said that instead of trying to divert the attention of the public, the BJP should explain why it cut the Central allocation for MGNREGA labourers from 100 per cent to 60 per cent. PTI CHS NSD NSD