The Lok Sabha was adjourned on a stormy note on Thursday after it passed the VB–G RAM G Bill, legislation that seeks to replace the UPA-era Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA). The Bill was cleared amid uproar, with sharp exchanges between Opposition members and MPs from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Tempers flared as the confrontation escalated inside the House, culminating in Opposition MPs tearing copies of the legislation and hurling them towards the Chair. The disorder brought parliamentary proceedings to a halt soon after the Bill’s passage.
What the VB–G RAM G Bill proposes
Formally titled the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Bill, the proposed law aims to guarantee 125 days of employment in a year, up from the 100 days assured under MGNREGA. The Opposition has mounted a fierce attack on the legislation, arguing that it effectively dismantles a flagship welfare programme introduced by the Congress-led UPA.
Rural Development Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, replying to an eight-hour-long debate, defended the Bill, saying the Modi government was committed to upholding Mahatma Gandhi’s ideals through its initiatives. As he spoke, Opposition members moved into the well of the House, raising slogans, tearing copies of the Bill and flinging them in protest.
BJP Hits Out At Oppn Over Protests
Addressing a press conference later, Chouhan questioned the conduct of the protesting MPs, asking whether “Bapu would accept this kind of disgraceful behaviour of Opposition standing atop desks in Parliament”. He also dismissed criticism over the name of the legislation, saying, “Ram G ke naam par itni chidh kyu hain? The name ‘VB–G RAM G’ Bill simply reflects the objectives, which are employment and ajeevika.”
Outside Parliament, reactions remained sharply divided. While the BJP described the Bill as “historic” and “pro-poor”, the Opposition alleged it was pushed through without adequate debate, claiming it undermined Mahatma Gandhi’s vision of social justice.
BJP MP Sambit Patra said the Bill was aligned with the goal of a developed India and would benefit the poor. “More than ₹1.51 lakh crore will be spent under this Bill. The poor will be guaranteed 125 days of work instead of 100, and rural infrastructure will be strengthened,” he told PTI. Calling the Opposition’s conduct a “dark chapter” in parliamentary history, Patra said he was shocked to see copies of the Bill torn, thrown in the air and even folded into paper planes, adding that students in the visitors’ gallery were stunned by the scenes.
BJP MP Tejasvi Surya also criticised the Opposition, accusing it of abandoning parliamentary decorum. “All respectable codes of conduct were thrown away. The Opposition has done a great disservice to the legacy of Mahatma Gandhi,” he said, alleging that the Congress had betrayed Gandhi’s stand against corruption.
Oppn Calls It ‘Dark Day For Democracy’
The Congress, however, rejected the government’s claims. Party leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said the proposed law would “finish off” the rural employment guarantee scheme. “We will strongly oppose this Bill. All parties are unanimously opposed to it,” she told reporters, alleging that the increase in workdays was deceptive and that a careful reading showed the scheme would be wound up.
She further argued that the Bill shifted the financial burden onto states, warning that it would gradually collapse because “state governments do not have enough money”. Congress MP Karti Chidambaram echoed the concern, calling it a “dark day for democracy”. He said a programme that millions depended on had been “dismembered” and accused the government of pushing costs onto states that lack adequate funds.
BJP leader Anurag Thakur countered the criticism, describing the VB–G RAM G Bill as crucial for a developed India. He reiterated that the legislation would benefit the poor by guaranteeing 125 days of wage employment, compared with 100 days under MGNREGA.
