Rechristening MGNREGA betrays deep-rooted hatred for Gandhi: Stalin

Accusing the Modi government of attempting to destroy the MGNREGA scheme and turning it into smithereens by slashing financial allocation, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK president MK Stalin on Monday alleged that rechristening the programme with a difficult to pronounce Sanskritised nomenclature was out of spitefulness for the father of the nation.

In a hard-hitting post on ‘X’, the chief minister, urging the Union government to give up dismantling the MGNREGA programme, said, “Drunk on hubris, the BJP-led Union Government is out to destroy a scheme that has lifted crores of people from the clutches of poverty and enabled them to lead a life of dignity.”

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According to him, the BJP’s deep-rooted hatred for the Mahatma is evident in changing the very nomenclature. “It is out of spitefulness for Gandhiji, the father of the nation, that a difficult to pronounce Sanskritised nomenclature has been imposed.”

When there is already resentment over naming Union government programmes in Sanskrit-Hindi, the scheme has been named as Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozga and Aajeevika Mission (Gramin).

Till now, the programme is 100% sponsored by the Union government. But, henceforth only 60% will be Central allocation with the states forced to bear the remainder from out of their resources. Stalin expressed apprehension that Tamil Nadu, a state which has eradicated poverty, will be punished because of this. The irony is punishment for successful poverty eradication and for this reason the state would be getting the lowest benefits out of this scheme, he noted.

“Just like how you backed off on #ThreeFarmLaws, #CasteCensus, people will force you to backtrack on the attempt to destroy MGNREGA as well. Hence, I request you to abandon the #VBGRAMG immediately instead of facing the wrath of the people,” he said.