Opposition questions democracy as Viksit Bharat Bill passed sans debate

Opposition MPs slammed the government's 'dictatorial' approach in passing the Viksit Bharat Bill, which replaces MGNREGA, without democratic procedures or committee referral. Protests, including a walkout and a TMC dharna, erupted in Parliament.

Opposition Slams 'Undemocratic' Passage of Bill

Revolutionary Socialist Party MP NK Premachandran on Friday questioned the meaning of democracy after the central government passed the Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Bill, 2025, without minimum democratic procedures, alleging no consultations with state governments or reference to a Standing Committee despite Opposition demands.

Speaking to ANI, Premachandran said, "They have the absolute majority, so they can pass any legislation. But in passing legislation, minimum democratic means have to be complied with. Such a controversial Bill, changing the structure of a scheme which is pending since last 20 years and it is beneftting lakhs and lakhs of people, and making more financial burden on the part of the State Govt, consultations with the State Govt have not been done. We demanded that let the Bill go to Standing Committee and let's have a detailed discussion...But unfortunately, none of the demands of the Opposition was taken into consideration. They passed the legislation without proper procedure...Then what is the meaning of democracy?..."

Congress MP Ujjwal Raman Singh alleged the Bill was passed amid ruckus, neglecting opposition voices and displaying government stubbornness, contrasting it with the 2005 MGNREGA Bill that was sent to a Select Committee after consulting the then opposition. "The Bill was passed by ignoring the voice of the Opposition and amid a ruckus. The opposition's voice was neglected and the Govt was being stubborn. The Bill should have been sent to select committee. Because when the Bill was brought in 2005, it was sent to the Select Committee. The then Opposition was consulted and the suggestions were considered. So, this shows that the Govt is adopting a dictatorial approach and they have passed an anti-people, anti-labourer Bill. History will not forgive them," he told ANI.

Parliamentary Protests and Bill Passage

On Friday, the Parliament passed the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB--G RAM G) Bill, with Rajya Sabha approving the legislation which earlier was passed in the Lok Sabha.

Opposition members staged a walkout from the Rajya Sabha before the bill to replace MGNREGA was passed. They pressed that the bill should be sent to a Select Committee. They demanded that the Bill be referred to a Select Committee.

Afterwards, the members of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) staged a 12-hour dharna (sit-in protest) against the passing of the VB G-RAM-G Bill. Following the passage of the VB-G RAM G Bill in both Houses Opposition members protested the manner in which the government pushed the legislation through. Several TMC MPs, including Sagarika Ghose, Derek O'Brien, Sushmita Dev, Dola Sen, Ritabrata Banerjee, Mausam Noor and Prakash Chik Baraik, along with MPs from the INDIA bloc, were present at the protest site. TMC MP Sagarika Ghose, who was also at the dharna, termed the passage of the Bill as "the second assassination of Mahatma Gandhi" and said it showed disrespect to Rabindranath Tagore, who had conferred the title 'Mahatma' on Gandhi.

Government Defends Legislation

Meanwhile, Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said the Bill would play an important role in the welfare of the poor. He accused the Congress of showing disrespect to the ideals of Mahatma Gandhi.

Key Provisions of the VB G-RAM G Bill

The Bill guarantees 125 days of wage employment per rural household, up from the existing 100 days, for adult members willing to undertake unskilled manual work.

As per Section 22 of the Bill, the fund-sharing pattern between the Centre and the states will be 60:40. For the Northeastern states, Himalayan states, and Union Territories, including Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir, the ratio will be 90:10. Section 6 of the Bill allows state governments to notify in advance a period aggregating up to 60 days in a financial year, covering peak agricultural seasons such as sowing and harvesting. (ANI)

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