Congress Slams New Rural Job Law as 'Rozgar Adhikar Chori'

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh attacked the government's new VB G RAM G Act on Monday, calling it "Rozgar Adhikar chori" – a theft of the right to employment. The law replaces the constitutional guarantee of work with what Ramesh described as a centralized scheme that shifts the financial burden onto state governments.

The opposition party is demanding the repeal of the rural employment program, arguing the new framework strips workers of their legal entitlement. Ramesh said the change undermines the original act's intent by making job guarantees subject to state-level fiscal capacity rather than a central obligation.

The dispute centers on whether the replacement law weakens the enforcement mechanism. Under the previous structure, the central government bore the primary cost and legal responsibility for providing work. The new version, critics say, leaves states to fund and administer the program, creating uneven access depending on each state's budget.

The government has not yet responded to the criticism. The law's passage through parliament was contentious, with opposition members walking out during the vote. No date has been set for a parliamentary debate on the repeal demand.