"Return to Principles of the Manusmriti": Jairam Ramesh on draft Shram Shakti Niti 2025

New Delhi [India], October 30 (ANI): Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Thursday hit out at the Centre over references to the Manusmriti in the draft Shram Shakti Niti 2025, which was released earlier this month for public feedback.
In a post on X on Wednesday, Ramesh said, "The Modi Govt's draft Shram Shakti Niti 2025 released earlier this month for public feedback explicitly claims that the Manusmriti embeds 'the moral basis of labour governance within India's civilisational fabric, centuries before the rise of modern labour law.'"
Stating that "the return to the principles of the Manusmriti is in keeping with the RSS's most cherished traditions," Ramesh claimed that the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) had "attacked" the Constitution for not deriving inspiration from "ideals and values of Manu".
"This return to the principles of the Manusmriti is in keeping with the RSS's most cherished traditions. After all, it had attacked the Constitution of India soon after it was adopted on the grounds that it did not derive inspiration from the ideals and values of Manu as embodied in the Manusmriti, " he added.

The Modi Govt's draft Shram Shakti Niti 2025 released earlier this month for public feedback explicitly claims that the Manusmriti embeds ”the moral basis of labour governance within India's civilisational fabric, centuries before the rise of modern labour law.”

This return to… pic.twitter.com/852zXLdxJ5

— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) October 29, 2025

Earlier, on October 8, the Ministry of Labour and Employment released the draft National Labour & Employment Policy - Shram Shakti Niti 2025 for public consultation.
According to the Ministry, the draft policy "presents a renewed vision for a fair, inclusive, and future-ready world of work aligned with the national aspiration of Viksit Bharat @2047."
"Rooted in India's civilisational ethos of srama dharma - the dignity and moral value of work, the policy envisions a labour ecosystem that ensures protection, productivity, and participation for every worker," the Ministry added.
"It seeks to create a balanced framework that upholds workers' welfare while enabling enterprises to grow and generate sustainable livelihoods," it said.
The Ministry stated that the draft reflects extensive stakeholder consultations and emphasises cooperative federalism, evidence-based policymaking, and digital transparency.
The draft Shram Shakti Niti 2025 provides a long-term framework for coordinated action among the Centre, States, industry, and social partners to ensure that the benefits of growth are shared widely and equitably.
The draft policy is available on the websites of the Ministry of Labour & Employment, the Directorate General of Employment (DGE), and the National Career Service (NCS).
Stakeholders and members of the public are invited to submit their feedback and suggestions by October 27 to ddg-dget@nic.in. (ANI)