G RAM G Bill passed, Opposition sits on 12-hour overnight protest in Parliament

Opposition leaders staged a 12-hour overnight protest dharna in Parliament complex on Thursday night (December 18), while protesting against the passage of the VB-G RAM G Bill that seeks to replace the MGNREGA rural employment programme and said they would take to the streets across the country.

Trinamool Congress (TMC) Rajya Sabha deputy leader Sagarika Ghose accused the Union government of bulldozing the VB-G RAM G Bill, as opposition MPs sat on a 12-hour dharna in the Parliament complex.

What TMC leader Sagarika Ghose said

Sharing pictures of their protest, Ghose wrote on X, "Friday morning 2 am. @AITCofficial 12 hour dharna on the steps of Parliament against the @narendramodi govt’s destruction of MNREGA. Bulldozing bills, pouring scorn on #RabindranathTagore, insulting Mahatma Gandhi, Modi govt is destroying democracy. (sic)."

Also read: G RAM G Bill passed in Lok Sabha as Centre and Opposition trade jibes

The Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) Bill was passed by Parliament amid opposition's protests, with the Rajya Sabha giving it its nod post midnight.

Ghose said the manner in which the Modi government has brought in this completely "anti-poor, anti-people, anti-farmer, anti-rural poor" VBGRG Bill, and has done away with the MGNREGA.

"This is an insult to India's poor, it is an insult to Mahatma Gandhi, it is an insult to Rabindranath Tagore. With just five hours' notice, this bill was given to us. We were not allowed a proper debate," Ghose said.

Also read: 'VB-G RAM G Bill undermines MGNREGA spirit', says Shashi Tharoor

"Our demand was such an important bill should be sent to the Select Committee and let the opposition parties examine it, let the opposition parties discuss it, let all stakeholders discuss it, but no, in a display of tyranny, in a murder of democracy," she said.

Congress leaders react

Congress general secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala termed the day as a "sad day for the country's labour force and accused the Modi government as anti-farmer and anti-poor.

"This is perhaps the saddest day for the labourers of India. BJP government has attacked the livelihood of 12 crore people by repealing the MGNREGA. They have proved that the Modi government is anti-farmer and anti-poor," he alleged.

Congress leader Mukul Wasnik said, "When MGNREGA was drafted, consultations were held for 14 months. It was passed by Parliament with consensus. The scheme would put an extreme burden on states. As a result, this scheme will collapse." DMK leader Tiruchi Siva said they shifted the statue of Mahatma Gandhi and Ambedkar to the back side of Parliament, where people cannot see.

"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.