Banerjee said the removal of Mahatma Gandhi’s name from the national rural jobs programme was deeply distressing and reflected a lack of respect for national icons.
File image of West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee (Photo: IANS)
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday strongly criticised the BJP-led Centre for renaming the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA). In response, she has announced to rename the state’s rural employment scheme after Mahatma Gandhi.
Speaking at a business and industry conclave, Banerjee said the removal of Mahatma Gandhi’s name from the national rural jobs programme was deeply distressing and reflected a lack of respect for national icons.
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Expressing anguish over the move, Banerjee said the decision to drop Gandhiji’s name filled her with “deep shame”. She said, “The removal of Gandhiji’s name fills me with deep shame. A Bill has been introduced that removes the name of Mahatma Gandhi from MGNREGA. Are we now forgetting even the Father of the Nation?”
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“The removal of Gandhiji’s name fills me with deep shame. A Bill has been introduced that removes the name of Mahatma Gandhi from MGNREGA. Are we now forgetting even the Father of the Nation? We have therefore decided to rename our Karmashree scheme after Mahatma Gandhi. We seek… pic.x.com/JjBqdSRrq3
— All India Trinamool Congress (@AITCofficial) December 18, 2025
Her remarks came shortly after the Lok Sabha passed the Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) Bill, replacing the MGNREGA job scheme.
The Chief Minister has announced that the state’s rural job guarantee programme, ‘Karmashree’ would now be renamed after Mahatma Gandhi. She said, “We have decided to rename our Karmashree scheme after Mahatma Gandhi. We seek nothing except respect. And if some do not know how to honour Mahatma Gandhi, we will demonstrate what true respect means.”
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