The 'Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Employment and Livelihood Mission (Rural) Bill,' also known as the VB-G Ram G Bill, has been passed in the Lok Sabha by voice vote. This significant legislative development is set to replace the two-decade-old Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA). The passage of the bill was marked by considerable uproar and protests from the opposition benches,. With members shouting slogans, entering the well of the house, and even tearing papers in defiance.
Fierce Opposition and Parliamentary March
The opposition parties mounted a strong resistance against the bill. Prior to its passage, more than 50 opposition Members of Parliament participated in a protest march within the Parliament complex, chanting slogans demanding the withdrawal of the 'VB-G-RAM-G Bill. ' Congress MP K. G. Venugopal formally requested the Speaker to refer the proposed legislation to a Standing Committee or a Joint Parliamentary Committee for further scrutiny. However, Speaker Om Birla rejected this plea, stating that the bill had already undergone extensive debate for over 14 hours, with 98 MPs participating in the discussion, while priyanka Gandhi, a Congress MP, also voiced her opposition, remarking that the 'obsession with changing names' was incomprehensible.
Shivraj Singh Chauhan's Accusations Against Congress
During his response in the Lok Sabha, Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan leveled several serious accusations against the Congress party. He asserted that the original name of the scheme was 'NREGA' and that the name 'Mahatma Gandhi' wasn't initially part of it. Chauhan alleged that the addition of Mahatma Gandhi's name was a politically motivated move by the Congress ahead of the 2009 elections, aimed at garnering votes. He stated, "It was NREGA earlier. Later, when the 2009 elections came, Mahatma Gandhi was remembered for elections and votes. Bapu was remembered. Then Mahatma Gandhi was added to it.
Comments on Gandhi and the Nehru Family
Shivraj Singh Chauhan further criticized the Congress, claiming they never truly adhered to Mahatma Gandhi's principles. He remarked, "Congress never listened to Gandhiji. We believe in Gandhiji. Gandhiji had said that once independence is achieved, Congress should be disbanded, while " He also condemned the special status granted to Kashmir as an 'assassination of the Constitution' and highlighted that the Modi government has addressed numerous deficiencies and instances of corruption within MGNREGA. The Agriculture Minister accused Congress of having an 'obsession' with naming various government schemes and institutions after the Nehru family. He cited examples, stating that 55 state government schemes, 74 roads, and 15 national parks were named after Rajiv Gandhi and Nehru respectively, while he emphasized that the 'craze for naming' belongs to Congress, while asserting that the BJP "doesn't discriminate against anyone; Bapu is our inspiration and reverence. The entire country is one for us. The country isn't just a piece of land for us. Our thoughts aren't narrow and constricted.
Other Key Parliamentary Updates
Amidst the legislative proceedings, other significant information emerged during the parliamentary session, while the Ministry of Education informed Parliament that out of 10. 13 lakh government schools nationwide, 5,149 have zero students. Over 70% of these schools with zero enrollment in the 2024-25 academic session are located in Telangana and West Bengal. On top of that, the number of schools with zero or fewer than 10 students has increased by 24% in the last two years. Also, Union Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting, L. Murugan, stated in the Lok Sabha that access to 43 OTT platforms has been blocked. This action was taken against platforms found to be disseminating content prohibited by law. Following the passage of the 'VB-G Ram G' Bill, Speaker Om Birla adjourned the House proceedings until 11 AM on Friday.
