The Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Employment and Livelihood Mission (Rural) Bill, commonly referred to as the G RAM G Bill—an updated iteration of the UPA government's flagship Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA)—was swiftly passed through Parliament in just two days, amidst intense disruptions and vehement protests in both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.
The bill cleared the Lok Sabha on Thursday afternoon despite ongoing protests and opposition walkouts. In the Rajya Sabha, the debate extended past midnight, with voting conducted around 12:15 am, and the bill ultimately passed by voice vote.
Despite fierce opposition from the Congress party, particularly over the removal of Mahatma Gandhi's name in favour of G RAM G, the government's majority ensured the bill's passage. The Opposition mounted a robust resistance, first demanding referral to a standing committee and later calling for complete withdrawal. Ultimately, they staged walkouts, allowing the bill to pass in both houses with only ruling alliance members present.
Subsequently, MPs from the Trinamool Congress and other opposition parties held a dharna inside the Parliament premises.
The heated Rajya Sabha debate featured Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge delivering a scathing critique of the proposed scheme, arguing it would harm the poor and urging the government to scrap it. "Don't have 'Ram' on your lips and a dagger in your hand! You keep saying 'Ram Ram' for the poor, but you have a dagger hidden behind your back," he remarked.
Addressing Rural Development Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who steered the bill through both houses, Kharge added, "Chauhan ji, think again. There is still time to withdraw the law. There is still time." He noted that the government had previously withdrawn several laws without political damage, stating, "Did the government suffer any setback? You withdrew three black laws related to agriculture. If you withdraw this law, you will become a hero. You will become 'Mama-ji' instead of just 'Mama'."
The 83-year-old leader concluded his speech with an emotional appeal: "My mother passed away in my childhood when I was 6-7 years old. I swear on her—this law is not good for the poor. I swear on my mother, I swear on Mother India, this law is not good for the poor."
Other opposition members were similarly outspoken.
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Trinamool Congress MP Derek O'Brien highlighted, "At 1:07 PM today, you passed the GRAM G Bill in Lok Sabha. At 1:11 pm today, something happened. This government stopped the MGNREGA scheme in West Bengal. The West Bengal government had started its own Karmashree Scheme to provide employment to job card holders. This year every job card holder got 75 days of work. Next year it will be 100 days of work. Today at 1:09 pm, the Chief Minister of West Bengal changed the name of her Karmashree scheme and named it the Mahatmashree Scheme.
"When Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan rose to reply, opposition members created an uproar, chanting slogans like "Withdraw the black bill." When this failed to halt him, they walked out.
An angered Chouhan responded, "I listened carefully to all the Opposition MPs. But to speak, make accusations, and then run away—this is also a betrayal of Bapu's ideals. Not allowing a response is also violence. I expected Kharge to speak with some seriousness today. Who will work with them? The Congress sinks whoever it associates with."
In rebuttal, Chouhan accused the Congress of undermining Mahatma Gandhi's principles, claiming MGNREGA had become a vehicle for corruption and that the new legislation emerged from extensive stakeholder consultations.
Defending the bill, Chouhan stated, "Bapu is our ideal, our inspiration. We have tried to incorporate Mahatma Gandhi's social ideas. The Congress had not included Mahatma Gandhi's name in NREGA initially. Only when the elections came in 2009 did they add Mahatma Gandhi's name."
The government has consistently emphasised the need for modernisation to address deficiencies in the 20-year-old scheme and adapt it to contemporary needs.
What makes G RAM G different?
Under MGNREGA, the government guaranteed 100 days of work in rural areas and even paid unemployment allowance in case there was no work. The new law would raise the 100-day guarantee to 125, keeping the other two rules untouched.
But under it, employment is meant to be generated through pre-approved plans, which, critics say, shifts the focus of the programme away from people's needs. Earlier, workers could apply to gram panchayats if they needed work; now they will get work only if there is any.
The new law divides work into four categories—water security, core rural infrastructure, livelihood-related assets, and climate resilience. Critics have said that this curtails the scope of the work, which was earlier decided by panchayats according to local needs.
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