UP Minister Om Prakash Rajbhar commented on JNU slogans, saying the opposition is just doing its job. This comes as the SC denied bail to Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam. Rajbhar also praised the new VB-G RAM G rural employment bill.
Rajbhar on Opposition Slogans, SC Bail Ruling
Uttar Pradesh Minister Om Prakash Rajbhar on Tuesday commented on reported sloganeering against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), saying opposition parties are simply performing their role through slogans, songs and shouting. "There are some opposition parties; their job is to oppose the government, they do that sometimes through slogans, sometimes through songs, and sometimes by shouting," Rajbhar said.
The remarks come following the Supreme Court's decision to deny bail to Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam in a case linked to an alleged larger conspiracy behind the 2020 north-east Delhi riots. However, the Court granted bail to Gulfisha Fatima, Meeran Haider, Shifa Ur Rehman, Mohd. Saleem Khan, and Shadab Ahmad. The SC observed that Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam stand on a "qualitatively different footing" both in terms of prosecution and evidence.
New Rural Employment Bill Sparks Debate
Separately, Rajbhar lauded the Viksit Bharat - Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) Bill, 2025, describing it as a beneficial initiative for rural workers. "This is a good initiative, people will get 125 days of work, and for those payments that were not being made, it is being said that they will be given within 7 days," he said.
Congress Announces 'MGNREGA Bachao' Protest
Meanwhile, the Congress party has announced a nationwide three-phase agitation titled "MGNREGA Bachao," protesting the Centre's newly enacted VB-G RAM G Act. The first phase of the 45-day campaign, called 'MGNREGA Bachao Sangram,' will commence on January 8, covering all states, districts, blocks, and gram panchayats.
On December 21, President Droupadi Murmu gave assent to the VB-G RAM G Bill, 2025, which replaced MGNREGA. The new Act enhances the statutory wage employment guarantee to 125 days per financial year for rural households. It seeks to advance empowerment, inclusive growth, convergence of development initiatives and saturation-based delivery, thereby strengthening the foundation for a prosperous, resilient and self-reliant Rural Bharat. (ANI)
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