English हिन्दी
Connect with us

Latest Politics News

19 districts of Gujarat go to polls amid Rahul-Modi war of words

Published

on

19 districts of Gujarat go to polls amid Rahul-Modi war of words

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

As polling for first phase of Gujarat Assembly polls began, Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi and Prime Minister Narendra Modi wooed voters for remaining seats

While polling for 89 assembly constituencies began on Saturday under Phase I of the Gujarat Assembly polls, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi stepped up efforts to woo voters to their respective political parties in the remaining 93 seats of the 182-member Gujarat Vidhan Sabha.

Under Phase II of the Gujarat polls, 93 seats will witness polling on December 14. Results for the state election along with the already concluded polls for Himachal Pradesh assembly will be declared on December 18.

The ongoing election campaign for the Gujarat assembly has turned into a direct clash between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi with the two leaders leading the charge of their respective parties while relegating the state leadership to the background.

It thus comes as no surprise that while one half of Gujarat began casting its vote on Saturday morning, the other half was bombarded by poll promises and political rhetoric by Rahul and Modi, neither of them willing to give the other any quarter.

If the campaign so far had seen the BJP and Modi being uncharacteristically defensive while Rahul and his Congress set the agenda for the campaign, the past week has seen a reversal of sorts. Armed with suspended Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar’s ‘neech aadmi’ remark made against him, Modi has sought to play the one card that no one else can beat him at – that of projecting himself as the poor, humble man who struggled his way to the top while the “elite” first family of the Congress and its followers mocked him.

This put the Congress on the backfoot, albeit momentarily. With Rahul promptly shunning Aiyar’s comment and orchestrating his suspension from the party’s primary membership, the Nehru-Gandhi scion has now steered his campaign back to the original plan – asking BJP and Modi to 22 questions – symbolically one for each of the 22 consecutive years that the saffron party has ruled Gujarat.

On Saturday, amid polling in 89 of the state’s 182 constituencies, the slanging match between Rahul and Modi continued. Rahul, who took a fleeting break from the campaign to wish his mother, Congress president Sonia Gandhi on her 72nd birthday, was back in campaign mode, addressing rallies from Patan to Mehsana through the day.

Modi, possibly nervous over reports of the Congress’ revival in his home state following the party’s 22-year spell of political wilderness, too is in Gujarat, campaigning with more rigour than during those 12 years when he was the state’s chief minister, including in 2002 when the state went to polls months after Narendra Modi quietly presided over the worst communal pogrom that the state had witnessed since independence.

The Prime Minister, usually brilliant at masking his emotions, seems to be dropping ample hints of nervousness – unless of course they are, and could well be, part of his carefully engineered poll strategy. While in the run up to the 2014 General Elections that propelled the then Gujarat chief minister to the Prime Minister’s throne, Modi couldn’t stop raving about replicating his much-publicised Gujarat model of development on the rest of India, his speeches through this year’s state assembly poll campaign have largely been about how he couldn’t develop Gujarat due to the step-motherly treatment of the Congress-led UPA government. The Gujarat model has suddenly gone missing while Modi is back to criticising the Congress on the same old issues – that the Grand Old Party believes in dynasty, its leaders mock his humble beginnings, that the Congress has never done anything for Gujarat, et al – while raking up nationalist and Hindutva sentiments.

Here are some snapshots from what Modi said at his poll rallies in Gujarat on Saturday:

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_raw_html]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[/vc_raw_html][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Meanwhile, Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi sought to put behind the setback caused to his party by Mani Shankar Aiyar and continued to pose pointed questions at the BJP and Modi as part of his Gujarat Mange Jawaab campaign. The Congress vice president wondered why Modi was not replying to his questions on the development of Gujarat and why talk of the Gujarat model of development had suddenly vanished from the Prime Minister’s speeches.

Here’s a glimpse of what Rahul said at his rallies in Gujarat on Saturday:

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_raw_html]%3Cblockquote%20class%3D%22twitter-tweet%22%20data-lang%3D%22en%22%3E%3Cp%20lang%3D%22hi%22%20dir%3D%22ltr%22%3E22%20%E0%A4%B8%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B2%E0%A5%8B%E0%A4%82%20%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%BE%20%E0%A4%B9%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%B8%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AC%3Ca%20href%3D%22https%3A%2F%2Ftwitter.com%2Fhashtag%2F%25E0%25A4%2597%25E0%25A5%2581%25E0%25A4%259C%25E0%25A4%25B0%25E0%25A4%25BE%25E0%25A4%25A4_%25E0%25A4%25AE%25E0%25A4%25BE%25E0%25A4%2582%25E0%25A4%2597%25E0%25A5%2587_%25E0%25A4%259C%25E0%25A4%25B5%25E0%25A4%25BE%25E0%25A4%25AC%3Fsrc%3Dhash%26amp%3Bref_src%3Dtwsrc%255Etfw%22%3E%23%E0%A4%97%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%9C%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A4_%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%82%E0%A4%97%E0%A5%87_%E0%A4%9C%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AC%3C%2Fa%3E%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E11%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%82%20%E0%A4%B8%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B2%3A%3Cbr%3E80%25%20%E0%A4%87%E0%A4%82%E0%A4%9C%E0%A5%80%E0%A4%A8%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%B0%20%E0%A4%AC%E0%A5%88%E0%A4%A0%E0%A5%87%20%E0%A4%B9%E0%A5%88%E0%A4%82%20%E0%A4%AC%E0%A5%87%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B0%3Cbr%3E%E0%A4%9F%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%9F%E0%A4%BE%20%E0%A4%A8%E0%A5%88%E0%A4%A8%E0%A5%8B%20%E0%A4%9C%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%B2%E0%A4%BE%2C%20%E0%A4%9A%E0%A4%B2%E0%A5%80%20%E0%A4%A8%E0%A4%B9%E0%A5%80%E0%A4%82%20%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%B9%20%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B0%3Cbr%3E%E0%A4%A8%E0%A5%8C%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%80%20%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%82%E0%A4%97%E0%A4%A8%E0%A5%87%20%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B2%E0%A5%8B%E0%A4%82%20%E0%A4%95%E0%A5%8B%20%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%B2%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%80%20%E0%A4%B9%E0%A5%88%20%E0%A4%97%E0%A5%8B%E0%A4%B2%E0%A5%80%3Cbr%3E%E0%A4%AF%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%BE%20%E0%A4%95%E0%A5%87%20%E0%A4%AD%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%B7%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%20%E0%A4%95%E0%A5%80%20%E0%A4%B2%E0%A4%97%E0%A4%BE%20%E0%A4%A6%E0%A5%80%20%E0%A4%86%E0%A4%AA%E0%A4%A8%E0%A5%87%20%E0%A4%AC%E0%A5%8B%E0%A4%B2%E0%A5%80%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%E0%A4%AC%E0%A5%87%E0%A4%9A%E0%A5%80%20%E0%A4%B6%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%95%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B7%E0%A4%BE%2C%20%E0%A4%AC%E0%A5%87%E0%A4%9A%E0%A5%80%20%E0%A4%AA%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%80%E0%A4%95%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B7%E0%A4%BE%2C%20%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%95%E0%A5%82%E0%A4%B2-%E0%A4%95%E0%A5%89%E0%A4%B2%E0%A5%87%E0%A4%9C%20%E0%A4%AC%E0%A4%A8%20%E0%A4%97%E0%A4%8F%20%E0%A4%A6%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A8%3Cbr%3E%E0%A4%B6%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%95%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B7%E0%A4%BE%20%E0%A4%95%E0%A5%87%E0%A4%82%E0%A4%A6%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%8B%E0%A4%82%20%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%BE%20%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8B%E0%A4%A6%E0%A5%80%E0%A4%9C%E0%A5%80%20%E0%A4%95%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A5%8B%E0%A4%82%20%E0%A4%AC%E0%A5%87%E0%A4%9A%20%E0%A4%A6%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE%20%E0%A4%88%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A8%3F%3C%2Fp%3E%26mdash%3B%20Office%20of%20RG%20%28%40OfficeOfRG%29%20%3Ca%20href%3D%22https%3A%2F%2Ftwitter.com%2FOfficeOfRG%2Fstatus%2F939431524641812481%3Fref_src%3Dtwsrc%255Etfw%22%3EDecember%209%2C%202017%3C%2Fa%3E%3C%2Fblockquote%3E%0A%0A%3Cscript%20async%20src%3D%22https%3A%2F%2Fplatform.twitter.com%2Fwidgets.js%22%20charset%3D%22utf-8%22%3E%3C%2Fscript%3E%0A%0A%20%0A%0A%3Cblockquote%20class%3D%22twitter-tweet%22%20data-lang%3D%22en%22%3E%3Cp%20lang%3D%22hi%22%20dir%3D%22ltr%22%3E%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8B%E0%A4%A6%E0%A5%80%20%E0%A4%9C%E0%A5%80%20%E0%A4%95%E0%A5%80%20%E0%A4%B8%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B0%20%E0%A4%A8%E0%A5%87%20%E0%A4%B8%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AB%20%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%9A%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B0%20%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%87%E0%A4%82%203700%20%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%8B%E0%A4%A1%E0%A4%BC%20%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%AA%E0%A4%AF%E0%A5%87%20%E0%A4%A1%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B2%E0%A5%87%20%E0%A4%B9%E0%A5%88%E0%A4%82%2C%20%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%82%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%20%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%88%E0%A4%B8%E0%A4%BE%20%E0%A4%89%E0%A4%A8%E0%A4%95%E0%A5%80%20%E0%A4%87%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%87%E0%A4%9C%20%E0%A4%AC%E0%A4%A8%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A8%E0%A5%87%20%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%87%E0%A4%82%20%E0%A4%94%E0%A4%B0%20%E0%A4%89%E0%A4%A6%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A5%8B%E0%A4%97%E0%A4%AA%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%AF%E0%A5%8B%E0%A4%82%20%E0%A4%95%E0%A5%8B%20%E0%A4%9C%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%BE%20%E0%A4%B9%E0%A5%88%2C%20%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%82%E0%A4%97%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%87%E0%A4%B8%20%E0%A4%95%E0%A5%80%20%E0%A4%B8%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B0%20%E0%A4%86%E0%A4%AF%E0%A5%87%E0%A4%97%E0%A5%80%20%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%8B%20%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%82%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%20%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%88%E0%A4%B8%E0%A4%BE%20%E0%A4%86%E0%A4%AA%E0%A4%95%E0%A5%80%20%E0%A4%B6%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%95%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B7%E0%A4%BE%20%E0%A4%94%E0%A4%B0%20%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A5%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%20%E0%A4%AA%E0%A4%B0%20%E0%A4%96%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%9A%20%E0%A4%B9%E0%A5%8B%E0%A4%97%E0%A4%BE%20%3Ca%20href%3D%22https%3A%2F%2Ftwitter.com%2Fhashtag%2FVote4ChangeVote4Congress%3Fsrc%3Dhash%26amp%3Bref_src%3Dtwsrc%255Etfw%22%3E%23Vote4ChangeVote4Congress%3C%2Fa%3E%20%3Ca%20href%3D%22https%3A%2F%2Ftwitter.com%2Fhashtag%2FGujaratRound1%3Fsrc%3Dhash%26amp%3Bref_src%3Dtwsrc%255Etfw%22%3E%23GujaratRound1%3C%2Fa%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%26mdash%3B%20Congress%20%28%40INCIndia%29%20%3Ca%20href%3D%22https%3A%2F%2Ftwitter.com%2FINCIndia%2Fstatus%2F939417024358256643%3Fref_src%3Dtwsrc%255Etfw%22%3EDecember%209%2C%202017%3C%2Fa%3E%3C%2Fblockquote%3E%0A%0A%3Cscript%20async%20src%3D%22https%3A%2F%2Fplatform.twitter.com%2Fwidgets.js%22%20charset%3D%22utf-8%22%3E%3C%2Fscript%3E%0A%0A%20%0A%0A%3Cblockquote%20class%3D%22twitter-tweet%22%20data-lang%3D%22en%22%3E%3Cp%20lang%3D%22hi%22%20dir%3D%22ltr%22%3E%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%9A%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%9B%20%E0%A4%95%E0%A5%87%20%E0%A4%AA%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%82%E0%A4%9A%20%E0%A4%97%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%82%E0%A4%B5%E0%A5%8B%E0%A4%82%20%E0%A4%95%E0%A5%80%20%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%82%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%80%20%E0%A4%9C%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%80%E0%A4%A8%20%E0%A4%9B%E0%A5%80%E0%A4%A8%20%E0%A4%B2%E0%A5%80%20%E0%A4%97%E0%A4%AF%E0%A5%80%20%E0%A4%94%E0%A4%B0%2045%20%E0%A4%B9%E0%A4%9C%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B0%20%E0%A4%B9%E0%A5%87%E0%A4%95%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%9F%E0%A5%87%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%B0%20%E0%A4%9C%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%80%E0%A4%A8%20%E0%A4%85%E0%A4%A1%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A8%E0%A5%80%20%E0%A4%9C%E0%A5%80%20%E0%A4%95%E0%A5%8B%201%20%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%AA%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE%20%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%BF%20%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%80%E0%A4%9F%E0%A4%B0%20%E0%A4%AA%E0%A4%B0%20%E0%A4%A6%E0%A5%80%20%E0%A4%97%E0%A4%AF%E0%A5%80%2C%202-3%20%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%B9%E0%A5%80%E0%A4%A8%E0%A5%87%20%E0%A4%AC%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A6%20%E0%A4%85%E0%A4%A1%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A8%E0%A5%80%20%E0%A4%9C%E0%A5%80%20%E0%A4%A8%E0%A5%87%20%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%B9%E0%A5%80%20%E0%A4%9C%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%80%E0%A4%A8%203000%20%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%AA%E0%A4%AF%E0%A5%87%20%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%BF%20%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%80%E0%A4%9F%E0%A4%B0%20%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%87%E0%A4%82%20%E0%A4%B8%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%80%20%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%82%E0%A4%AA%E0%A4%A8%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%AF%E0%A5%8B%E0%A4%82%20%E0%A4%95%E0%A5%8B%20%E0%A4%AC%E0%A5%87%E0%A4%9A%E0%A5%80%3B%20%E0%A4%94%E0%A4%B0%20%E0%A4%AB%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%B0%20%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8B%E0%A4%A6%E0%A5%80%20%E0%A4%9C%E0%A5%80%20%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%B9%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%87%20%E0%A4%B9%E0%A5%88%E0%A4%82%20%E0%A4%AC%E0%A4%B9%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%A4%20%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B8%20%E0%A4%B9%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%86%20%3Ca%20href%3D%22https%3A%2F%2Ftwitter.com%2Fhashtag%2FVote4ChangeVote4Congress%3Fsrc%3Dhash%26amp%3Bref_src%3Dtwsrc%255Etfw%22%3E%23Vote4ChangeVote4Congress%3C%2Fa%3E%20%3Ca%20href%3D%22https%3A%2F%2Ftwitter.com%2Fhashtag%2FGujaratRound1%3Fsrc%3Dhash%26amp%3Bref_src%3Dtwsrc%255Etfw%22%3E%23GujaratRound1%3C%2Fa%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%26mdash%3B%20Congress%20%28%40INCIndia%29%20%3Ca%20href%3D%22https%3A%2F%2Ftwitter.com%2FINCIndia%2Fstatus%2F939416545863729153%3Fref_src%3Dtwsrc%255Etfw%22%3EDecember%209%2C%202017%3C%2Fa%3E%3C%2Fblockquote%3E%0A%0A%3Cscript%20async%20src%3D%22https%3A%2F%2Fplatform.twitter.com%2Fwidgets.js%22%20charset%3D%22utf-8%22%3E%3C%2Fscript%3E%0A%0A%20%0A%0A%3Cblockquote%20class%3D%22twitter-tweet%22%20data-lang%3D%22en%22%3E%3Cp%20lang%3D%22en%22%20dir%3D%22ltr%22%3ELIVE%3A%20Rahul%20Gandhi%20addresses%20a%20public%20meeting%20in%20Patan%2C%20Gujarat.%20%3Ca%20href%3D%22https%3A%2F%2Ftwitter.com%2Fhashtag%2FVote4ChangeVote4Congress%3Fsrc%3Dhash%26amp%3Bref_src%3Dtwsrc%255Etfw%22%3E%23Vote4ChangeVote4Congress%3C%2Fa%3E%20%3Ca%20href%3D%22https%3A%2F%2Ft.co%2FFSSRVGKogj%22%3Ehttps%3A%2F%2Ft.co%2FFSSRVGKogj%3C%2Fa%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%26mdash%3B%20Congress%20%28%40INCIndia%29%20%3Ca%20href%3D%22https%3A%2F%2Ftwitter.com%2FINCIndia%2Fstatus%2F939413525897797633%3Fref_src%3Dtwsrc%255Etfw%22%3EDecember%209%2C%202017%3C%2Fa%3E%3C%2Fblockquote%3E%0A%0A%3Cscript%20async%20src%3D%22https%3A%2F%2Fplatform.twitter.com%2Fwidgets.js%22%20charset%3D%22utf-8%22%3E%3C%2Fscript%3E[/vc_raw_html][/vc_column][/vc_row]

India News

Renaming MGNREGA removes core spirit of rural employment law, says Shashi Tharoor

Published

on

Shashi Tharoor

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has strongly criticised the renaming of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), saying the move strips the rural employment programme of its core essence. His remarks came after Parliament cleared the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Bill, also referred to as the VB-G RAM G Bill.

Speaking to media, Tharoor said the decision to remove Mahatma Gandhi’s name from the scheme “takes out the heart” of the rural employment programme that has been in place for years. He noted that the identity and philosophy associated with Mahatma Gandhi were central to the original law.

Tharoor also objected to the way the new name was framed, arguing that it unnecessarily combined multiple languages. He pointed out that the Constitution envisages the use of one language in legislation, while the Bill’s title mixes English and Hindi terms such as “Guarantee”, “Rozgar” and “Ajeevika”, along with the conjunction “and”.

‘Disrespect to both names’

The Congress leader said that inserting the word “Ram” while dropping Mahatma Gandhi’s name amounted to disrespecting both. Referring to Mahatma Gandhi’s ideas, Tharoor said that for Gandhi, the concepts of Gram Swaraj and Ram Rajya were inseparable, and removing his name from a rural employment law went against that vision.

He added that the name of Lord Ram could be used in many contexts, but questioned the rationale behind excluding Mahatma Gandhi from a programme closely linked to his philosophy of village self-rule.

Protests over passage of the Bill

The VB-G RAM G Bill was passed by the Lok Sabha on December 18 and cleared by the Rajya Sabha in the early hours of December 19 amid protests from Opposition members. Several MPs opposed the manner in which the legislation was pushed through, with scenes of sloganeering and tearing of papers in the House.

Outside Parliament, members of the Trinamool Congress staged a sit-in protest near Samvidhan Sadan against the passage of the Bill. Congress also announced nationwide protests earlier this week, accusing the government of weakening rights-based welfare schemes.

Despite opposition criticism, the government has maintained that the new law will strengthen rural employment and livelihood security. The Bill raises the guaranteed employment from 100 days to 125 days per rural household and outlines a 60:40 cost-sharing formula between the Centre and states, with a higher central share for northeastern, Himalayan states and certain Union Territories.

Continue Reading

India News

Rahul Gandhi attacks G RAM G bill, says move against villages and states

Rahul Gandhi has criticised the G RAM G bill cleared by Parliament, alleging it dilutes the rights-based structure of MGNREGA and centralises control over rural employment.

Published

on

Rahul Gandhi

Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi has launched a sharp attack on the Modi government after Parliament cleared the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Employment and Livelihood Mission (Rural) Bill, commonly referred to as the ‘G RAM G’ bill. He described the proposed law as “anti-state” and “anti-village”, arguing that it weakens the core spirit of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).

The new legislation, which is positioned as an updated version of MGNREGA, was passed amid protests by opposition parties and is expected to replace the existing scheme once it receives presidential assent.

‘Bulldozed without scrutiny’, says Rahul Gandhi

Rahul Gandhi criticised the manner in which the bill was cleared, saying it was pushed through Parliament without adequate debate or examination. He pointed out that the opposition’s demand to refer the bill to a standing committee was rejected.

According to him, any law that fundamentally alters the rural employment framework and affects crores of workers should undergo detailed scrutiny, expert consultation and public hearings before approval.

Claim of dilution of rights-based guarantee

Targeting the central government, the Congress leader said the proposed law dismantles the rights-based and demand-driven nature of MGNREGA and replaces it with a rationed system controlled from Delhi. He argued that this shift undermines the autonomy of states and villages.

Rahul Gandhi alleged that the intent behind the move is to centralise power and weaken labour, particularly impacting rural communities such as Dalits, OBCs and Adivasis.

Defence of MGNREGA’s impact

Highlighting the role of MGNREGA, Gandhi said the scheme provided rural workers with bargaining power, reduced distress migration and improved wages and working conditions, while also contributing to rural infrastructure development.

He also recalled the role of MGNREGA during the Covid period, stating that it prevented crores of people from slipping into hunger and debt. According to him, any rationing of a jobs programme first affects women, landless workers and the poorest communities.

Opposition to name change and provisions

The Congress has also objected to the renaming of the scheme, accusing the government of attempting to erase the legacy associated with Mahatma Gandhi. Opposition MPs staged a dharna within the Parliament complex, questioning provisions of the bill that they claim dilute the “soul and spirit” of the original law enacted in 2005.

Under MGNREGA, the government guaranteed 100 days of work in rural areas along with an unemployment allowance if work was not provided. The ‘G RAM G’ bill proposes to raise the guaranteed workdays to 125, while retaining other provisions. However, critics have flagged concerns over employment being linked to pre-approved plans.

The bill was cleared after a midnight voice vote in the Rajya Sabha, following its passage in the Lok Sabha amid protests and walkouts. It will become law once approved by the President.

Continue Reading

India News

AAP dominates Punjab zila parishad polls, leads in most panchayat samiti zones

AAP has won 201 out of 317 declared zila parishad zones in Punjab so far and is leading in a majority of panchayat samiti seats, with counting still underway.

Published

on

Punjab Zila Parishad Polls

The ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has recorded a strong performance in the Punjab zila parishad elections and is leading in the majority of panchayat samiti zones, as per results declared so far on Thursday. The counting process is still underway and complete results are awaited, officials said.

Polling for the rural local bodies was held on December 14 to elect representatives across 347 zones of 22 zila parishads and 2,838 zones of 153 panchayat samitis in the state.

AAP secures clear edge in zila parishads

According to the available results, outcomes have been declared for 317 zila parishad zones so far. Of these, the AAP has won 201 zones, placing it well ahead of other parties.

The Congress emerged second with victories in 60 zones, followed by the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) with 39 zones. The BJP won four zones, the BSP secured three, while independents claimed 10 zones.

District-wise data shows that the AAP won 22 zones in Hoshiarpur, 19 each in Amritsar and Patiala, 17 each in Tarn Taran and Gurdaspur, and 15 zones in Sangrur. The Congress registered its best performances in Gurdaspur and Ludhiana with eight zones each, followed by Jalandhar with seven zones. The SAD performed strongly in Bathinda with 13 zones, while the BJP managed to win four zones in Pathankot.

AAP leads in panchayat samiti results

In the panchayat samiti elections, trends declared so far indicate that the AAP is leading in a majority of zones. However, officials clarified that counting is ongoing and the final picture will be clear only after all ballot papers are tallied.

Kejriwal, Mann reject opposition allegations

Reacting to the trends, AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal said the party’s performance reflected strong rural support for the Bhagwant Mann government’s work. Addressing the media in Mohali along with Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, Kejriwal dismissed allegations of irregularities raised by opposition parties.

He said the elections were conducted in a fair and free manner and claimed that the results so far showed a clear wave in favour of the AAP in rural Punjab. Kejriwal stated that nearly 70 per cent of the zila parishad and panchayat samiti seats had gone in favour of the party.

Congress, SAD question poll conduct

The Congress and the Shiromani Akali Dal, however, accused the ruling party of misusing official machinery. Punjab Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring alleged that the AAP had “stolen” the rural mandate and claimed that the results did not reflect genuine public support.

Opposition parties had earlier also accused the AAP government of high-handedness during the polling process, allegations that the ruling party has strongly denied.

Continue Reading

Trending

© Copyright 2022 APNLIVE.com