New Delhi, Dec 18 (NationPress) During an extensive debate in Parliament regarding the renaming of MGNREGA to VB-G RAM G, Congress MPs along with various Opposition leaders staged a protest outside the Parliament complex on Thursday. This demonstration was aimed at voicing their dissent against the Centre's "authoritarian approach" in overturning a law that has significantly improved the lives of millions in rural India.

Leading the protest, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge spearheaded a march from the Gandhi Statue to Makar Dwar within the Parliament grounds, opposing the renaming of this UPA-era initiative. Former Congress president Sonia Gandhi joined the march, advocating for a reversal of the legislation that intends to substitute MGNREGA.

The protesting lawmakers displayed posters and placards featuring images of Mahatma Gandhi, chanting slogans like "Mahatma Gandhi ka apman nahin sahenge, nahin sahenge" (we will not tolerate the insult to Mahatma Gandhi).

They asserted that this act is not merely an insult to the Father of the Nation by the Modi government, but also a blatant attempt to undermine the Right to Work, which has brought about socio-economic advancements in numerous villages across the nation.

The Congress chief promised to organize a nationwide protest, spanning from the Parliament to the streets, against the "tyranny of the ruling dictatorial government". He contended that the Centre is not only dismantling this transformative scheme but also encroaching upon the rights of the poor to work under MGNREGA, a program that guarantees 100 days of employment for farmers and landless laborers initiated during the UPA administration.

Speaking to reporters, Kharge emphasized, "This is not just about changing names. It is about taking away the right to work, especially for marginalized communities and Dalits."

He further declared, "Our party will stage protests across the country against this autocratic regime. Our members will resist any measures that deprive the impoverished of their right to work, and these protests will occur in all states and districts."

It is important to note that the renaming of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) to VB G RAM G has ignited significant controversy, with many opposition MPs expressing concern that erasing Mahatma Gandhi's name will strip the scheme of its moral foundation and diminish the government's commitment to support the underprivileged.