Rahul Gandhi’s BIG attack on Modi govt; likens MGNREGA repeal to demonetisation, says PM Modi ‘single handedly’…

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi Saturday launched a scathing attack on the Narendra Modi government, likening the changes made to the MGNREGA scheme and renaming it to VB-G RAM G, to the 2016 demonetisation, and accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of “single-handedly” dismantling the rural employment guarantee scheme without consulting his cabinet.

Addressing a presser in New Delhi following the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting, Rahul Gandhi announced the Congress’ ‘MGNREGA Bachao Abhiyan’, stating that the party would resist the government’s action and expressed confidence that the entire opposition would be aligned with it.

“The prime minister single-handedly destroyed MGNREGA without asking his Cabinet, without studying the matter. We are going to resist it. I am confident that the entire opposition will be aligned with us,” the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha said.

Gandhi said the MGNREGA– UPA’s flagship scheme– was more than just an employment programme, but a development framework appreciated around the world, and claimed that its repeal was a “devastating attack” on rights-based approach and India(BHARAT)’s federal structure, carried out by “single-handedly” by PM Narendra Modi.

“It is a devastating attack on states and the poor people, carried out by the prime minister single-handedly, much like demonetisation. The PM single-handedly destroyed MGNREGA without asking his Cabinet, without studying the matter,” Rahul Gandhi alleged.

The VB-G RAM G Bill, replacing the 20-year-old MGNREGA, was passed in Parliament during the recently concluded Winter Session of Parliament amid vociferous protests by the opposition. The new act has a provision for 125 days of wage employment for rural workers.

The Congress plans to launch a nationwide campaign dubbed the ‘MGNREGA Bachao Abhiyan’ from January 5 next year.

(With inputs from agencies)