‘Respect Gandhian Legacy’: Tharoor calls MGNREGA renaming row ‘unfortunate’

December 15, 2025

New Delhi: Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Monday described the controversy over the proposed renaming of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) as “unfortunate”, warning against creating an artificial ideological divide and diminishing Mahatma Gandhi’s legacy. Reacting to the Centre’s move to introduce a new rural employment law, Tharoor said the values being cited were never in conflict.

In a post on X, Tharoor said the ideas of Gram Swaraj and Ram Rajya were “twin pillars of Gandhiji’s consciousness” and not competing concepts. He added that removing Mahatma Gandhi’s name from a scheme meant for the rural poor ignored this deep philosophical harmony and risked dishonouring the Father of the Nation.

Centre plans new rural employment law
The remarks come as the government prepares to introduce the Viksit Bharat–Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Bill, 2025 — or G-RAM-G — in the Lok Sabha. The proposed legislation seeks to replace the nearly 20-year-old MGNREGA and overhaul the rural employment framework.

Under the new Bill, the guaranteed employment days for rural households are proposed to be increased from 100 to 125 annually. It also introduces AI-based systems for fraud detection and mandates stronger social audit mechanisms, including twice-yearly audits in every Gram Panchayat, to improve transparency and accountability.

Opposition raises concerns over renaming
The Congress has strongly opposed any move to rechristen MGNREGA, alleging that the government is attempting to dilute Mahatma Gandhi’s legacy. Party leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra questioned the need for renaming, pointing to the financial burden involved in changing names across offices and official stationery.

Officials in the Rural Development Ministry, however, said the proposed law aims to expand employment opportunities, strengthen rural infrastructure and ensure better availability of labour for farmers, while aligning asset creation with broader national development goals.