BJP's Renaming Drive: From MGNREGA to Congress-Era Schemes Under New Names

The Modi government’s proposal to rename the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) as the “G RAM G” or Pujya Bapu Employment Guarantee Scheme has stirred controversy in Parliament and among opposition parties. Congress leaders have criticised the move, claiming it is a cosmetic change aimed at erasing historical legacies while bypassing deeper issues in rural development.

Since coming to power in 2014, the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has systematically renamed multiple welfare schemes, ministries, and statutory laws, often replacing Congress-era names with those of leaders associated with the party’s ideological lineage, such as Deen Dayal Upadhyaya and Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Congress alleges that at least 32 schemes launched between 1975 and 2013 have been rebranded under the current government.

Analysts note recurring patterns in this renaming exercise. Many changes are in Hindi, reflecting the government’s emphasis on promoting the language as part of a broader cultural project. Additionally, names associated with the Nehru-Gandhi family have been removed from some schemes, while BJP leaders’ legacies have been highlighted in others, signaling an ideological as well as political intent.

Also Read: ‘PM Modi Hates Gandhi’s Ideas’: Rahul Gandhi on Proposed MGNREGA Replacement

The government, however, justifies the change by citing evolving rural conditions. According to official releases, poverty levels have declined significantly since 2011, and improved digital access, connectivity, and social protection have rendered certain aspects of the 2005 model less relevant. The renamed G RAM G scheme aims to update the framework, increase guaranteed workdays, and implement a more targeted and accountable system.

This trend of renaming extends beyond social welfare schemes. Congress-era programs like Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan, Jan Dhan Yojana, and Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojana have been rebranded as Swachh Bharat Mission, Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana, and Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana, respectively. Similarly, key laws such as the Indian Penal Code and the Code of Criminal Procedure have been recast under the “Bharatiya” nomenclature, reflecting an ongoing legislative rebranding initiative.

Even infrastructure and streets have not been exempt. Roads like Race Course Road and Aurangzeb Road were renamed as Lok Kalyan Marg and Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Road, while Teen Murti Chowk became Teen Murti Haifa Chowk. While the government frames these changes as modernisation and localisation, critics see them as politically motivated, intensifying debates over cultural identity, governance, and historical memory.

Also Read: 'Renaming Schemes, Not Reform’: Priyanka Gandhi Targets Govt Over VB-G RAM G Bill