Congress needs Gandhi's name, but no concern for his principles: Anurag Thakur

Former Union minister and sitting MP from Hamirpur Lok Sabha seat Anurag Thakur on Thursday lashed out at members of the Gandhi family and said they adopted Mahatma Gandhi's surname but failed to embrace his ideals.

Talking to media persons here, he said that the Congress is opposing the name of Ram and the work for the poor.

''The Congress needs Gandhi's name but has no concern for his principles or the welfare of the poor,'' he said and added that the Congress party and governments are opposing the name of Ram and the schemes for the poor.

Viksit Bharat-G RAM G (Guarantee for Rozgar and Aajeevika Mission (Gramin) Act replacing the existing Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) was passed by the Parliament in December 2025.

Opposing the Congress's 'Save MGNREGA' campaign, Thakur said that Congress is the only party in the world that opposes providing employment and the development of the poor and rural people.

He said that the Act guarantees village development, employment for the poor, higher wages and 100 to 125 days of work.

Data will be maintained, money will be directly deposited into bank accounts and during the farming season, the G RAM G work will be suspended to allow people to focus on agriculture. Moreover, power has been given to the panchayats, not to the state or central governments, he added.