New Delhi, 16 December (H.S.): Union Rural Development Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan moved to introduce the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Bill, 2025—or VB-G RAM G—in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday, proposing to supplant the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) of 2005 with enhanced 125-day job assurances per rural household.

Opposition MPs erupted in protest during the introduction under Rule 72(1), demanding referral to a standing committee for rigorous examination, with Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra decrying the erasure of Mahatma Gandhi's name as an affront to national sentiment and alleging the measure weakens wage rights amid persistent payment delays.

Allies like DMK's T.R. Baalu, TMC's Saugata Roy, SP's Dharmendra Yadav, RSP's N.K. Premachandran, and NCP-SP's Supriya Sule joined the chorus, branding it a constitutional assault and urging withdrawal for fresh deliberation, while TDP voiced state fiscal strain concerns.

Chouhan countered by invoking Gandhi's rural vision alongside Deen Dayal Upadhyaya's ideals for Ram Rajya, touting all-round village upliftment through decentralized Viksit Gram Panchayat Plans integrated with PM Gati-Shakti, shifting from demand-led to outcome-focused infrastructure with normative funding.

The ensuing uproar prompted Speaker Om Birla to adjourn the House till 2 p.m., spotlighting the bill's alignment with Viksit Bharat@2047 amid polarized Winter Session debates.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar