The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has issued a whip to all its Lok Sabha members, instructing them to remain present in the House from December 15 to December 19. The move comes as the Winter Session of Parliament enters its final phase.
Government plans to replace MGNREGA
According to sources, the government is preparing a bill to repeal the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) and introduce a new rural employment scheme called Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin).
The draft has already been circulated among Lok Sabha members, indicating that the government plans to bring it during the ongoing session.
Opposition hits out
This development has drawn strong criticism from the Congress. Party leaders accused the government of attempting to rewrite history and undermine Mahatma Gandhi’s legacy.
Congress MP Akhilesh Prasad Singh said, “The Indian government is changing the entire history,” while MP Tariq Anwar called the decision “deeply unfortunate and politically motivated,” adding that it reflected a bias against Gandhi’s name.
Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra questioned the rationale behind renaming, pointing out the financial burden of changing the scheme’s name nationwide.
She said, “From offices to stationery, everything has to be renamed. This is a big, costly process. What’s the benefit of doing this unnecessarily?” Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi described the renaming report as a distraction, designed to divert public attention from pressing issues, and criticized it as disrespectful to Gandhi’s legacy.
