The Rajya Sabha passed the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Employment and Livelihood Mission Gramin (VB-G RAM G) Bill with a voice vote at midnight. The bill was passed in Lok Sabha on Thursday afternoon despite the protests and Opposition staging a walkout.
Notably, the law will replace the UPA government's flagship MGNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Act).
The Opposition is irked over the removal of Mahatma Gandhi’s name from the scheme.
Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare of India, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, presented the bill in the upper house and it was passed by voice note in the absence of Opposition leaders. Opposition members protested in the Well of Rajya Sabha and later staged a walkout.
Several MPs staged a protest at Makar Gate of the Parliament after passage of VB-G RAM G Bill.
The Opposition MPs first sought the Bill be referred to a standing Committee but later demanded its outright withdrawal.
Speaking over the Bill, Congress Chief Mallikarjun Kharge said the BJP was “snatching” the rights of poor people.
"The government is taking away the fundamental rights of poor people to weaken them so that they continue slavery," he said.
TMC MP Derek O'Brien said the Bill reflects a feudal mindset of the government.
Congress MP Pramod Tiwari said MNREGA will be restored once the Congress government comes to power at Centre. "The government intends to end Mahatma Gandhi’s name, but it will never happen. When we return to power, MNREGA will be restored and will put an end to your Godse-like tendencies," he said.
Speaking in favour of the Bill, Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan accused the Congress of “killing” Mahatma Gandhi’s ideas, asserting that the government was honoured by Gandhi's ideals.
"Modi government is honoured by Mahatma Gandhi's ideals by implementing MGNREGA properly," he said.
ALSO READ:
