New Delhi: Opposition leaders staged a 12-hour overnight protest in the Parliament complex on Thursday, condemning the passage of the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) Bill. The MPs, who have announced plans to take their agitation to the streets, accused the government of “bulldozing” the legislation which seeks to replace the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).
The contentious bill received parliamentary approval amid strong protests, with the Rajya Sabha giving its nod post-midnight. Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha deputy leader Sagarika Ghose described the legislation as “anti-poor, anti-people, and anti-farmer,” alleging that it was pushed through without adequate scrutiny.
Ghose criticized the speed at which the legislation was introduced, claiming MPs were given only five hours' notice. “This is an insult to India’s poor, Mahatma Gandhi, and Rabindranath Tagore. We were not allowed a proper debate,” she stated.
She further argued that the bill should have been referred to a Select Committee for examination by all stakeholders. “In a display of tyranny and a murder of democracy, the government refused. We are now sitting on a 12-hour dharna against the manner in which the Modi government has brought this black law against the rural poor of India,” Ghose added.
Congress leaders also voiced strong objections. General Secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala termed it a “sad day” for the country’s labour force. “The BJP government has attacked the livelihood of 12 crore people by repealing MGNREGA. They have proved that the Modi government is anti-farmer and anti-poor,” he alleged.
Congress leader Mukul Wasnik highlighted the contrast in the legislative process, noting that the original MGNREGA was drafted after 14 months of consultation and passed with consensus. He warned that the new VB-G RAM G scheme would place an "extreme burden" on states, predicting the eventual collapse of the programme.
DMK leader Tiruchi Siva drew parallels between the removal of Mahatma Gandhi’s name from the rural employment scheme and the recent relocation of statues within the Parliament complex.
Siva noted that the statues of Mahatma Gandhi and Ambedkar had been shifted to the "back side" of Parliament where people cannot see them. “Likewise they have removed Mahatma Gandhi’s name himself. Without Gandhi there is no freedom, that is the total belief in this country. Even in Britain parliament we are having Gandhi statue, but here in Indian parliament his statue is hidden somewhere, and now the scheme which bore his name, his name has also been removed,” he claimed. He added that the entire opposition is agitated.
(Inputs from PTI)