The Congress and Trinamool Congress (TMC) have launched a fierce attack on the central government over a proposed legislative change. The controversy centers on the removal of Mahatma Gandhi's name from the official title of the rural jobs guarantee scheme in a new replacement bill.
Political Outcry Over Omission of Gandhi's Name
The uproar was triggered by the introduction of the Bhartiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 in Parliament. This proposed legislation aims to replace the existing Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA). The key point of contention is that the new bill's name omits any reference to Mahatma Gandhi, a move opposition parties have labeled as deliberate and disrespectful.
Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh led the charge, stating the party finds the deletion of Gandhi's name completely unacceptable. He emphasized that MGNREGA is one of the most celebrated and impactful welfare schemes globally, intrinsically linked to the Mahatma's legacy of empowering the rural poor. The Trinamool Congress echoed this sentiment, with Rajya Sabha member Saket Gokhale accusing the government of attempting to erase Gandhi's contributions from public memory through such legislative maneuvers.
The Government's Position and Legislative Context
The new bill, part of a set of three introduced by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, seeks to overhaul India's criminal justice framework by replacing the Indian Penal Code, the Code of Criminal Procedure, and the Indian Evidence Act. Within this extensive legal revision, the MGNREGA is cited and its official name is mentioned in the new Sanhita. However, the reference uses the acronym 'MGNREGA' without spelling out 'Mahatma Gandhi' in the long title within the text of the bill.
This technical detail has become a major political flashpoint. Opposition leaders argue that this is not an oversight but a calculated move to diminish the association of the landmark scheme with the Father of the Nation. They contend that the rural employment guarantee act is a monumental testament to Gandhi's vision for village self-reliance and rural development.
Broader Implications and Political Repercussions
The controversy extends beyond symbolic politics. Critics allege this is part of a broader pattern by the ruling dispensation to systematically sideline the legacies of key figures from the Congress pantheon and the national movement. The defense of MGNREGA's original name has united opposition voices, turning the issue into a rallying point against the government's legislative agenda.
The scheme itself guarantees 100 days of wage employment per financial year to every rural household whose adult members volunteer for unskilled manual work. It has been a critical social safety net for millions. By challenging the name change, the Congress and TMC are positioning themselves as defenders of both a symbolic legacy and a substantive welfare program that affects the livelihoods of India's rural population.
As the bill moves through the parliamentary process, this dispute over nomenclature is set to fuel further debate and potentially become a significant point of contention during discussions and voting on the new criminal code legislation. The government is yet to issue a detailed official response to the specific allegations regarding the omission of Gandhi's name.
