India, Jan. 10 -- Senior Congress leader and former Union minister Paban Singh Ghatowar on Saturday criticised the Centre for dropping Mahatma Gandhi's name while rebranding MGNREGA. He described the move as "unfortunate and surprising".

Speaking to the media at Rajiv Bhavan in Dibrugarh, Ghatowar strongly objected to the renaming of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act as the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Grameen), or VB G RAM G.

According to him, the removal of Mahatma Gandhi's name raises serious concerns. "MGNREGA is not just a welfare scheme. It carries the legacy of the Father of the Nation and stands for dignity of labour and social security for the poorest," he said.

Moreover, Gh...