Social activist Aruna Roy, who quit the Sonia Gandhi-led National Advisory Council (NAC), has taken on the government over MGNREGA, blaming Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and the PMO for blocking minimum wages under the scheme. She further alleged that Manmohan did not listen to Sonia’s advice on many issues.

Aruna took strong exceptions to the fact that the PM had rejected the NAC recommendations on payment of minimum wages to MGNREGA workers and appealed against the Karnataka High Court judgement ordering payment of minimum wages to MGNREGA workers.

At the same time, Aruna Roy hailed UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi for her concerns and vision for the poor and weaker sections in the society. She put the blame on the government, saying “the opposition by the government is a corrosive process as it destroys bodies like NAC bit by bit”.