CPI (M) criticises BJP Govt for giving “cruel burial” to MGNREGA

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) has accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Central Government of delivering a “cruel burial” to the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNERGA), alleging that the new employment scheme dilutes its rights-based framework.

The party described the Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB–G RAM G) as a “big cheating” .

The CPI (M) general secretary, M.A. Baby, said, “While they (the BJP Government) claim that the guaranteed work days have been increased from 100 days to 125 days, the new Act will be implemented only in places notified by the Central Government.” He also pointed out that the scheme mandates a 40% financial contribution from the State Governments.

He recalled the protracted intervention of the Left parties in the then Central Government enacting the MGNREGA as a “right based” programme. The then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Finance Minister P. Chidambaram and Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia were all against the MGNREGA, but the Centre enacted the law after [former president of Congres] Sonia Gandhi’s intervention following the insistence of the Left. “The VB-GRAM is no more a right based programme,” he said.

Mr. Baby also expressed concern over the BJP Government’s moves to follow the dictates of the United States in compromising the interests of the country. Agriculture and other sectors would suffer because of the recent trade deals signed with the US and other sectors would be brought in to the fold of the trade deals stage-by-stage.

He took strong objections to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s claim that the country reached a position of strength. “Trump (US president Donald Trump) prohibits us from buying crude oil from a few countries. Can Mr. Modi stand up and say where do we buy crude oil?” he asked.

Lamenting that market forces were operating in the Government’s decision making and watering down its control, he cited the petroleum prices as an example for this. “Sovereignty of the country is subject to systematic assault. At no time has the country’s esteem gone down to this level,” he said.

The CPI (M) has decided to organise a Chalo Delhi march next month, tentatively on March 24, in protest against the Government’s “anti-people and anti-poor” measures like the Seeds Bill, Power sector reforms, Education Bill aimed at centralising the sector and Labour Codes among others.