Several opposition MPs on Thursday took out a protest march inside the Parliament House complex against the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) Bill, hours after the Lok Sabha concluded its discussion on the proposed legislation at around 1.30 am, demanding its withdrawal and accusing the government of undermining the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).
Carrying a large banner reading ‘Mahatma Gandhi NREGA’, the MPs marched from the Gandhi statue at Prerna Sthal to Makar Dwar, raising slogans against the government. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, AICC general secretary K C Venugopal, DMK MPs K Kanimozhi, T R Baalu and A Raja, IUML’s E T Mohammed Basheer, Shiv Sena (UBT)’s Arvind Sawant and RSP’s N K Premchandran were among those who participated in the protest.
The protest followed the conclusion of the discussion in the Lok Sabha on the new rural jobs bill, which seeks to replace the 20-year-old Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act.
The debate on the VB-G RAM G Bill, 2025 concluded past midnight on Wednesday, with 98 members taking part. The House was adjourned at 1.35 am. Rural Development Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan is scheduled to reply to the debate on Thursday.
Senior Congress leader Sonia Gandhi also joined the protesting MPs and participated in the demonstrations at Makar Dwar.
Reacting after the protest, Kharge accused the government of attacking both Mahatma Gandhi’s legacy and the right to work.
“The Modi government has not only insulted the Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi, but has also crushed the right to work, which was instrumental in bringing about socio-economic transformation in India's villages,” Kharge said in a post on X in Hindi.
He added, “Against this tyranny of the ruling dictatorial government, we will fight from Parliament to the streets.”
Venugopal, speaking to reporters, echoed the criticism and accused the government of weakening democratic values.
“Today, Parliament is witnessing the murder of democracy. By removing the name of Mahatma Gandhi from NREGA they are trying to kill the democratic values as well as the ideology of the Father of the Nation,” he said.
The Opposition has been strongly opposing the Bill, alleging that it insults Mahatma Gandhi and dilutes key provisions of the MGNREGA, enacted in 2005 during the UPA government’s tenure.
According to the proposed legislation, the new law will provide a statutory guarantee of 125 days of wage employment in a financial year to every rural household whose adult members volunteer to undertake unskilled manual work.
It also mandates that states, within six months from the date of commencement of the VB-G RAM G Act, frame schemes consistent with the provisions of the new law.
Meanwhile, the Lok Sabha is also scheduled to take up a duration discussion on air pollution in the Delhi National Capital Region later on Thursday.
Congress member Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is expected to initiate the discussion, while DMK member K Kanimozhi and BJP member Bansuri Swaraj have also given notices to raise the issue.