New Delhi, Dec 19 (UNI) In a dramatic escalation of the confrontation between the Treasury and Opposition benches, Members of Parliament from the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and other INDIA bloc parties launched a 12-hour overnight dharna on the steps of the old Parliament building.
The protest began following the midnight passage of the Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Bill, 2025 (VB–G RAM G) in the Rajya Sabha.
The sit-in, which commenced as the House adjourned in the intervening night of December 18 and 19, is scheduled to continue until noon today.
The Opposition MPs are protesting the repeal of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), 2005. They allege that the new “G RAM G” legislation effectively “kills” the rights-based framework of the original act.
Protesting TMC MPs accused the government of insulting the legacy of Mahatma Gandhi by removing his name from the flagship rural employment scheme and disregarding the values of Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore.
Placards and Slogans: Visible throughout the night were posters with the striking message: “Don’t kill MGNREGA like you killed Gandhi ji.”
The VB–G RAM G Bill, 2025, seeks to replace the two-decade-old MGNREGA. While the government maintains that the new Bill is a “modern overhaul” that increases guaranteed employment from 100 to 125 days, the Opposition has raised several red flags.
A major point of contention is the revised funding structure. Under the new Bill, states must bear 40 percent of the wage cost, up from zero under the previous system. Opposition leaders, particularly from West Bengal and Kerala, argue this imposes a massive financial burden on states. They further claim that the 60-day “pause” during harvest seasons will deprive rural workers of a safety net when they need it most.
As the Rajya Sabha sat through the night to pass the legislation via voice vote, Opposition members staged a walkout before converging at the Prerna Sthal (the statues of national icons).
“By erasing the name of the Father of the Nation, this government has shown its true face,” a senior TMC MP stated during the dharna. “They are replacing a legal right to work with a centrally-controlled charity scheme.”
Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, defended the Bill, stating it fulfills Gandhi’s vision of Gram Swaraj by creating durable assets and leveraging technology to eliminate corruption.
