Change will come by doing work, not by changing names: Punjab CM on VB-G RAM G Bill

Chandigarh, Dec 16 (PTI) They renamed railway stations, cities and now what is left is changing the country's name, said Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Tuesday while taking a dig at the Centre's rural employment bill VB-G RAM G that seeks to replace MGNREGA.

The AAP leader's reply came in response to a question over the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) Bill, 2025, on rural employment which was introduced in the Lok Sabha amid objections by opposition.

The bill seeks to guarantee rural jobs for 125 days every year and replace the 20-year-old MGNREGA.

"They changed names of railway stations and cities. Only (changing) country's name is left now," he said, while adding that he fears they may not keep its name after Deen Dayal Upadhyaya.

Mann said that change will come by doing work, not by changing names.

Pointing to a reporter at a press conference, Mann said, "If your name is kept Amitabh Bachchan.. or Shah Rukh Khan will you become one or attract crowds... " Referring to names of the cities which was changed during the BJP-led government, Mann said, "You may call it Prayagraj or Allahabad, people want work should be done, what difference does the name make".

If you do some work for people, even when you are gone, people will install your statues on every crossing and remember you, Mann said.

Coming back to the bill, Mann said for MNREGA daily wagers they may keep any name for the bill, but they would want guarantee of employment.

Meanwhile, when asked about opposition blaming the AAP government over the murder of a 30-year-old kabaddi player-cum-promoter Kanwar Digvijay Singh in Mohali on Monday, he said if anyone thinks they will indulge in incidents of loot and killings and then sleep in the lap of their mothers, that is not going to happen and they will be dealt as per law.

People of Punjab want peace but if anyone tries to breach this peace, strict action will be taken, he said.

At the same time, he took on the opposition, saying how they patronised gangsters when they were in power.

"These are the results of the seeds sown by the Akali, Congress," he said.

On our part, we are making efforts so that peace prevails, he said.

Asked that in the past it has been seen that in incidents such as the one which occurred in Mohali links of gangsters who operate from foreign soils is seen, Mann said "we are closely monitoring everything. There are some things which we cannot share right now because they are related to security.

"But in the coming time, we will give you a roadmap after an analysis of where most such incidents have happened, who all are involved, and calls are received from which countries," Mann said.

Earlier, Mann gave details about the foolproof arrangements for pilgrims during the 'Shaheedi Sabha' at Fatehgarh Sahib, in which in lakhs of devotees pay homage to the sacrifice of the younger sons of the 10th Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh.

The annual martyrdom congregation in memory of Zorawar Singh and Fateh Singh the younger sons of Guru Gobind Singh and their grandmother Mata Gujri will begin at Fatehgarh Sahib on December 25 and continue till December 27. PTI SUN VSD NB NB