Chennai: A war of words broke out between Chief minster M K Stalin and AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami over the Union govt’s move to replace MGNREGS with VB – G RAM – G.While Stalin questioned the stand of EPS on the Union govt’s move, EPS said he welcomed the extension of working days to 125 days but wanted the scheme to continue with existing name. Stalin mounted a sharp attack on EPS, questioning if the opposition party has chosen to side with the BJP govt by supporting the proposed scheme, which was against the interest of the beenficaries of MGNREGS.Questioning Palaniswami’s claim of representing farmers, Stalin said the proposed change in the MGNREGA scheme directly targets the livelihoods of the rural poor and threatens the future of the 100-day employment programme. Drawing comparisons with the three repealed farm laws and the CAA, the chief minister alleged that the AIADMK general secretary was continuing a pattern of extending unquestioned support to Union Home Minister Amit Shah instead of asserting Tamil Nadu’s interests. “Will he (Palaniswami) once again endorse the BJP govt’s agenda without a word of protest?” Stalin asked.Calling the move to remove Gandhi’s name from MGNREGA and renaming the scheme in Hindi as Hindi imposition, Stalin asked, “Why is AIADMK reluctant to oppose the Hindi imposition? Would former CM J Jayalalithaa have accepted such a move?”EPS in turn questioned Stalin for not implementing his pre – poll promise of extending the work days to 150 instead of 100 under MGNREGS. Meanwhile, former Union finance minister P Chidambaram condemned the BJP govt, alleging saying, “Erasing Mahatma Gandhi’s name and implementing a new law, a new scheme is more heinous than assassinating Gandhiji himself.”VCK and left parties in TN announced a state-wide protest condemning the BJP govt for the change of name from MGNREGA to VBGRAMG on December 23.MDMK General Secretary Vaiko said that by changing the name of the scheme, the BJP showed its hatred towards Gandhi.
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