Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Thursday strongly criticized the Congress for creating ruckus in Parliament and tearing the copy of the Developed India Guaranteed Employment and Livelihood Mission (Rural) Bill, 2025 and said that the India Alliance MPs have hurt the integrity of democracy.
Addressing a press conference after the passage of the VB-Ji Ram-Ji Bill amid opposition uproar in the Lok Sabha, Shivraj Chouhan criticized the behavior of India Alliance MPs during his address in the House even as they supported the bill, which replaces the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA).
The Union Minister termed the alleged tearing of the Bill and climbing on the tables by the MPs as ‘murder of Bapu’s ideals’.
He said, “The behavior of the opposition in the Lok Sabha today, including members of the Congress and the India Alliance, has tarnished the dignity of our democracy. Parliamentary decorum has been completely violated. Democracy has turned into a mobocracy. Yesterday there was a discussion on the VB-Ji Ram-Ji Bill, which went on till 1:30 in the night. We listened to the opposition carefully. I said I would answer every question, but I should also be heard. But the pages were torn and Thrown on the tables. Is this not the murder of the ideals of Bapu (Mahatma Gandhi)?”
Defending the bill, he said that rural development schemes have evolved with time, and the VB-G Ram-Ji scheme will provide 125 days of employment guarantee, whereas under MNREGA this guarantee was 100 days.
Speaking on the issue of 60:40 sharing of funds between the Central and state governments, the Union Minister said that out of the total proposed Rs 1,51,282 crore, the Centre’s share is more than Rs 95,000 crore.
He said, “You have your opinion, but don’t let others speak. Is this not unethical? I condemn their actions. There have been many schemes for rural development. A scheme runs for a few days and then gets changed, like Sampoorna Gramin Rozgar Yojana, Jawahar Rozgar Yojana, and then came MNREGA. It was not named after Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, so was it an insult to him?”
“The welfare of the poor is the resolve of the BJP, and many schemes were brought under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which is why 25 crore people have risen above the poverty line,” he said.
The BJP leader said, “‘Vikshit Gaon’ for a diverse India is Modi ji’s resolve. Earlier there was an employment guarantee scheme of 100 days, which has been extended to 125 days, and substantial funds have been proposed for this extension, which is a total of Rs 1,51,282 crore. Of this amount, the central government’s share is more than Rs 95,000 crore.”
This morning, the lower house of Parliament passed the bill by voice vote despite protests by the opposition, in which posters of Mahatma Gandhi were shown.
Opposition MPs demanded that the bill be referred to a standing committee for further deliberations.
Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra strongly opposed the bill passed in the Lok Sabha, saying that this law is a threat to the future of MNREGA.
Speaking to reporters, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said, “We will oppose this bill. With this bill, the MNREGA scheme will end in the coming months. As the burden on states increases, this scheme will gradually end. This bill is against the poor.”
He also expressed concern that the enactment of the bill would place undue responsibility on state governments, which could weaken the welfare scheme that provides support to millions of rural families across the country.
He said, “You look at it from any angle, and any sensible person will understand that this is a clever ploy of 100 to 125 days. If anyone reads this bill, it will become very clear to him that this entire scheme will come to an end in the coming months. Because as soon as the burden of providing such a huge amount falls on the state governments, this scheme will gradually come to an end.”