NEW DELHI: The Congress on Tuesday said the Modi government's replacement of MGNREGA is nothing less than a "surgical strike" on the social safety net that protected rural India and alleged that the "vote chori sarkaar" has also perfected "gramin mazdoori chori."

Congress general secretary in-charge, communications, Jairam Ramesh cited a media report that claimed that while thousands were working under the VB-G RAM G scheme on paper in drought-hit Maharashtra, no workers were found on the ground at five sites in Beed.

In his post on X, Ramesh said, "Beed and other districts in Maharashtra are facing the worst drought in a decade. MGNREGA was the guarantee of support in such times of extreme distress. But its replacement with VB-G RAM G is nothing less than a surgical strike on the social safety net that protected rural India."

Citing a detailed field-level investigation by a reporter, Ramesh said it found that most villagers had not worked in months, despite being shown as employed.

"Instead, local politicians are pocketing their wages; no doubt belonging to the ruling party. Evidence of such fake attendance and clone app scams in UP and other BJP-ruled states has also been revealed in the media," Ramesh said.

"This is not just corruption, but systemic theft of workers' wages. The Vote Chori Sarkaar has perfected 'gramin mazdoori chori (rural labour theft)' also," the Congress leader said.

Last week, the Congress attacked the Modi government, saying the only guarantee the VB-G RAM Act extends is technology-driven exclusion, centralisation and the emasculation of gram panchayats.

The Congress also slammed the BJP over reported attendance fraud within the VB-G RAM G scheme.

Attacking the rights of the poor while invoking the name of Lord Shri Ram is the BJP's true modus operandi, it said.

The Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Act, or the VB G RAM G Act, came into force across the country from July 1, replacing the two-decade-old MGNREGA introduced by the Congress-led UPA.