DMK claims 'G Ram G' scheme itself may be scrapped any time by citing 'some data'
Chennai (PTI): Tamil Nadu's ruling DMK on Saturday hit out at the BJP-led Centre over the new VB-G RAM G Bill and said removal of Mahatma Gandhi's name alone was not the issue.
The new Bill has no guarantee for work for a total of 125 days and it has all features to facilitate halting the scheme itself at any time.
DMK mouthpiece 'Murasoli' said removal of Gandhi's name for the job guarantee scheme alone was not the issue; but the very objective of that scheme has been defeated and this was the core issue.
In the overall matter of deletion of Gandhi's name, other issues have been buried. Dropping Gandhiji's name was not going to affect his image in any manner and the removal of his name has only made people remember and talk about him more and more, Murasoli said in its editorial of December 20, 2025.
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The ruling party listed 10 reasons for opposing the "G Ram G" rural employment guarantee Bill and rejected that name as pretty difficult to even pronounce.
The Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) or VB-G RAM G Bill, assuring 125 days of guaranteed jobs for rural India, has been adopted by both Houses of the Parliament.
The DMK said the cost-sharing ratio of 60:40 between the Centre and states is "loot" of state's funds. "Though they claim providing work for 125 days, it will not happen for sure."
The Dravidian Tamil daily cited the provision tasking the state governments to notify in advance, a period aggregating to sixty days in a financial year, covering the peak agricultural seasons of sowing and harvesting. During this period, works under the VB-G RAM G Act shall not be undertaken and this feature will affect those not involved in farm work. Also, the beneficiaries are set to be enlisted using the Centre's Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) and this will directly affect states like Tamil Nadu that are fighting to eliminate poverty.
The new scheme itself could be "stopped" by claiming that poverty has been eliminated by citing "some data". As per the previous law, getting job was the people's right and now, as per the new Bill, jobs will be provided if available.
The new initiative goes against federalism, state autonomy as a provision enables the Centre to decide jobs for each state. Such a clause would lead the way for "betraying" non-BJP ruled states. Unlike the previous legislation, there is no scope for providing compensation if work could not be provided. There is no guarantee that that jobs would be provided for 125 days. "This new Bill has all features to facilitate halting the scheme at any time."
Targeting AIADMK chief Edappadi K Palaniswami, the DMK daily hit out at him for merely issuing a statement to reinstate the Father of the Nation's name for the employment guarantee scheme. "Does Palaniswami accept all other changes to the scheme?
Further, the DMK daily alleged that Palaniswami was repeating his gimmick of deceiving the people, which the nation witnessed in the issues of CAA, and the 3 farms laws (repealed later). The former CM had said that the minorities will not be affected by the CAA and that the farmers will actually be benefited by the farm laws.
Parliament on Thursday passed the VB-G RAM G Bill, that seeks to replace the 20-year-old Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) and guarantee 125 days of rural wage employment every year.
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'Have not received complaint yet': Delhi Police on assault by off-duty Air India Express pilot
New Delhi, Dec 20 (PTI): Delhi Police on Saturday said they have not received any formal complaint so far in connection with the alleged assault of a passenger by an off-duty Air India Express pilot at the city airport.
The alleged assault is linked to a dispute over some staff members allegedly cutting the queue at the security checkpoint in Delhi airport.
"With reference to a social media post on platform X by Ankit Dewan alleging physical assault by an Air India Express pilot at Terminal-1 of the airport, it is clarified that no such matter has been reported to the police station either by the complainant or by the airline," a police statement said.
Police said they became aware of the alleged incident only after a post surfaced on social media. Appropriate legal action will be taken after a written complaint is submitted, the statement added.
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On Friday, a passenger, Ankit Dewan, had alleged in a post on X that he was physically assaulted by Air India Express captain Virender Sejwal near the security area of Terminal 1, an incident he claimed left him bleeding and traumatised his seven-year-old daughter who witnessed the altercation.
According to Dewan, the dispute broke out after he objected to some staff members allegedly cutting the queue at the security checkpoint. He claimed the pilot abused him verbally before assaulting him physically.
Air India Express had earlier said it was aware of the incident involving one of its employees, who was travelling as a passenger on another airline, and that the pilot had been removed from official duties with immediate effect pending an internal investigation.
Police said no case has been registered so far in the absence of a formal complaint, and the matter would be examined once a written representation is submitted by the alleged victim.
Sources earlier said the off-duty pilot later boarded an IndiGo flight to Bengaluru after the incident.
Further action will depend on the complaint, examination of available evidence, including CCTV footage, police said.
Here is a short video of Capt. Virender Sejwal looking at me lying on the floor, covered in blood, and probably realising the gravity of the situation for the first time.
— Ankit Dewan (@ankitdewan) December 20, 2025
And a few more things that I did not mention in my earlier post:
🔸 My wife kept requesting for first aid.… https://t.co/CXlrqchhxC pic.twitter.com/x49XtWvfpE
