ITANAGAR, 21 Dec: The Arunachal Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) organised a peaceful protest rally at the tennis court near IG Park here on Sunday against the BJP-led central government’s decision to rename the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) as the VB-G Ram G Bill, 2025.
Addressing the gathering, APCC president BosiramSiram strongly condemned the BJP government’s move, saying that renaming the MGNREGA was unnecessary, politically motivated, and aimed at erasing the historic legacy of the Congress party and Mahatma Gandhi.
He asserted that the MGNREGA was not merely a scheme but a legal right of the rural poor, enacted through Parliament to ensure livelihood security, dignity of labour, and social justice.
Siram emphasised that the BJP government “has failed to strengthen MGNREGA through adequate funding, timely wage payments, and expansion of work opportunities.
“Instead of addressing these genuine issues faced by rural workers, the government is indulging in symbolic renaming exercises to divert public attention from its administrative failures. No change of name can alter the pro-people spirit and constitutional foundation of the MGNREGA,” he added.
APCC vice president Abraham Techi termed the renaming “an affront to democratic values and parliamentary tradition.” He said that the BJP’s obsession with renaming welfare schemes “reflects its insecurity and inability to deliver on employment, price stability, and rural development.”
APCC vice president Mina Toko highlighted the adverse impact of the government’s policies on rural women, job card holders, and marginalised communities. “MGNREGA has been a lifeline for millions of households, particularly women, and the BJP government must focus on ensuring full 100 days of work, fair wages, and transparency, rather than renaming a scheme that has transformed rural India,” she said.
The rally witnessed participation of APCC state office bearers, members of various cells and departments, the City Congress Committee, the Papum Pare District Congress Committee, and a large number of Congress leaders and workers.
