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New Delhi [India], December 19 (ANI): The passage of the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) Bill, 2025 has triggered sharp opposition criticism, with Congress and other parties accusing the BJP-led Centre of rushing the legislation, weakening rights-based welfare, and undermining the spirit of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).
Congress MP Randeep Surjewala termed the development “the saddest day for labourers in the history of our independent nation,” alleging that the government had dealt a severe blow to the livelihoods of nearly 12 crore people by effectively abolishing MGNREGA. “The BJP government has inflicted a great wound on the livelihood of 12 crore people,” he said, warning of long-term consequences for rural employment security.
Echoing the charge, Congress MP Abhishek Manu Singhvi said the Bill “symbolises the government’s arrogance,” noting that the opposition’s only demand was for the legislation to be referred to a Select Committee. He alleged that multiple limitations had been added to the scheme without adequate scrutiny or debate.
CPI MP P. Sandosh Kumar described the Bill as “like dropping a bomb on the poor and the labourers,” calling it the BJP’s “New Year gift” to the people. He said opposition parties boycotted the session in protest and warned of continued demonstrations on the streets in the coming days.
Opposition members staged a walkout from the Rajya Sabha before the Bill—seeking to replace MGNREGA—was passed, reiterating their demand for a Select Committee review. Congress has announced a series of nationwide protests from December 17, accusing the BJP and RSS of attempting to “dismantle rights-based welfare.”
Adding to the criticism, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor strongly objected to the renaming of MGNREGA, saying it “takes out the heart of the entire Mahatma Gandhi rural employment program.” Speaking to mediapersons, Tharoor said the move disrespects Mahatma Gandhi’s legacy, arguing that for Gandhi, Gram Swaraj and Ram Rajya were inseparable. He also objected to the Bill’s nomenclature for using multiple languages, contending that it runs contrary to constitutional norms.
Tharoor alleged that the Centre unnecessarily combined English and Hindi terms—“Guarantee,” “Rozgar,” and “Ajeevika”—to arrive at the acronym “G RAM G,” adding that invoking Lord Ram while removing Mahatma Gandhi’s name was inappropriate. He referenced a 1970s Kishore Kumar song to underscore his point, saying, “Don’t insult the name of Lord Ram.”
Meanwhile, Trinamool Congress (TMC) members staged a 12-hour dharna outside Samvidhan Sadan in the Parliament complex to protest the Bill’s passage. The legislation was cleared by the Lok Sabha on December 18 and approved by the Rajya Sabha early on December 19 amid sloganeering, walkouts, and protests, including opposition MPs tearing copies of the Bill in the Lower House.
Defending the legislation, Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said the Bill would play an essential role in the welfare of the poor and accused Congress of disrespecting Mahatma Gandhi’s ideals.
The VB-G RAM G Bill guarantees 125 days of wage employment per rural household—up from the existing 100 days—for adult members willing to undertake unskilled manual work. Under Section 22, the Centre–State fund-sharing ratio will be 60:40, while for North Eastern and Himalayan States and certain Union Territories (Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, and Jammu and Kashmir), it will be 90:10. Section 6 allows states to notify up to 60 days in a financial year covering peak agricultural seasons of sowing and harvesting.
The government maintains the Bill will strengthen rural employment and livelihoods, while the opposition insists it dilutes hard-won guarantees and has vowed to intensify protests nationwide. (ANI)
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