Opposition MPs protest VB-G RAM G bill, call it ‘insult to Bapu’
Opposition MPs protest VB-G RAM G bill, call it ‘insult to Bapu’
M.U.H
16/12/202534
New Delhi: Several opposition MPs staged a protest at the Parliament House complex on Tuesday against the VB-G RAM G Bill, claiming that the legislation disrespects Mahatma Gandhi and demanding its immediate withdrawal. The bill, which seeks to replace the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), 2005, has become a flashpoint between the government and opposition parties.
Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, DMK’s TR Baalu, RSP’s N K Premchandran, and other MPs gathered near the Mahatma Gandhi statue at Prerna Sthal, raising slogans such as “Gandhi ji ka ye apmaan nahi sahega” (“The country will not tolerate this insult to Mahatma Gandhi”). They also carried pictures of the Father of the Nation during their protest near the Makar Dwar steps of Parliament.
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra accused the government of attempting to dismantle MGNREGA, a law that guarantees rural employment to millions of labourers. She said the new bill would undermine the legal rights of workers and limit the powers of gram panchayats in deciding local projects. “The right of gram panchayats to decide on work and fund allocation is being taken away. From every perspective, this bill is flawed,” she stated.
Akhilesh Yadav criticized the move as a politically motivated attempt to rename schemes. “Mahatma Gandhi awakened the soul of this country and led our freedom struggle. The government has nothing new to do, so it is changing the name,” he said.
Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, defending the bill, said the government respects Gandhi and follows his principles. He added that the Modi government has done more for rural development than previous administrations.
Opposition MPs also demanded that the bill be referred to a parliamentary committee for detailed scrutiny. During the protest, some members entered the Well of the House holding Gandhi’s photographs.
The VB-G RAM G Bill, 2025, proposes a statutory guarantee of 125 days of wage employment per year for rural households whose adult members volunteer for unskilled manual work. States will be required to implement schemes aligned with the provisions of the new law within six months of its commencement.
According to the Rural Development Ministry, the legislation aims to create sustainable rural infrastructure and employment under four key areas: water security through water-related projects, core rural infrastructure, livelihood-support infrastructure, and special works to address extreme weather events, in line with the vision of ‘Viksit Bharat 2047’.
