A fierce political battle has erupted in Haryana, pitting the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) against the opposition Congress and its INDIA alliance partners. The conflict centers on employment guarantee schemes, with Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini launching a sharp offensive against the Congress's flagship MGNREGA while vigorously defending his government's newly launched Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) or VB-GRAM G.
CM Saini's Scathing Attack on MGNREGA 'Scam'
At a press conference held at Haryana Niwas on Monday, Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini targeted the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Punjab led by Bhagwant Mann and Congress leaders in Haryana. He highlighted alleged massive irregularities in the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) scheme.
Saini accused the Punjab government of patronizing a "scam-ridden" scheme, citing a social audit conducted in 5,915 out of Punjab's 13,304 gram panchayats. The audit reportedly uncovered 10,663 cases of financial misconduct, including illegal withdrawals for activities like road and canal cleaning. Saini claimed that despite interventions by central teams, no recovery was made and no action was taken against the responsible parties, leaving genuine workers unpaid.
He also mocked the Punjab government for hastily passing a resolution against Haryana's VB-GRAM G Act in its Vidhan Sabha on December 30, 2024. Saini advised CM Bhagwant Mann to read the Act properly first. He further challenged Mann to match Haryana's wage of Rs 400 under its scheme instead of Punjab's current Rs 339 under MGNREGA.
Congress Launches Counteroffensive with 'Save MGNREGA' Campaign
In a robust response, the Haryana Congress, led by its in-charge B K Hariprasad, launched a nationwide 'Save MGNREGA Struggle' campaign from its Chandigarh headquarters. The event was attended by senior leaders including HPCC president Rao Narender Singh, former Chief Minister Bhupinder Hooda, and MPs Selja, Randeep Surjewala, and Deepender Hooda.
Hariprasad defended MGNREGA as a historic law enacted by the UPA government in 2005, guaranteeing a legal right to 100 days of employment for rural households. He described it as a lifeline for the poor and a pillar of the rural economy. The party announced plans for agitations at every level, following directions from its high command.
Leader of Opposition Bhupinder Singh Hooda accused the BJP government of crippling MGNREGA through fund cuts, delayed wage payments, reduced workdays, and arbitrary restrictions. He stated that over 60% of MGNREGA wage payments are delayed, severely impacting the poor, Dalits, tribals, and women.
The Core of the Controversy: VB-GRAM G vs MGNREGA
Chief Minister Saini presented comparative figures to champion the BJP's VB-GRAM G scheme. He argued that MGNREGA, conceived nearly two decades ago, was designed for a different economic context and has structural weaknesses that successive governments failed to reform.
In contrast, he positioned VB-GRAM G as a more contemporary and effective solution for rural employment. The war of words has thus crystallized into a direct showdown between the two schemes, symbolizing the broader political rivalry between the BJP and the Congress-INDIA alliance in the state.
When questioned about the 40-day parole granted to Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, CM Saini sidestepped the issue, calling it a "legal recourse" proceeding as per legal procedure.
Senior Congress leader Randeep Surjewala condemned the BJP's actions, alleging that by altering MGNREGA's original structure, the government was attempting to "snatch food from the mouths" of rural poor, women, and the needy. He emphasized that Congress designed MGNREGA to provide employment to women near their homes, preventing them from wandering in search of work.
The political confrontation in Haryana over rural employment guarantees is set to intensify, marking a critical front in the ongoing tussle between the national ruling party and the opposition bloc.
