Members of the opposition stage protest against VB G-RAM-G Bill in Parliament

The opposition held posters of Mahatma Gandhi in protest to demonstrate their disappointment with the decision to pass the bill to remove his name from the Act.

Earlier, members of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) also started a 12-hour dharna (sit-in protest) against the passing of the VB-G RAM G Bill. It started at 12 am and will conclude at 12 noon today.

The ongoing dharna is being held outside Samvidhan Sadan in the Parliament complex against the Bill. The Bill was passed in the Lok Sabha on December 18, 2025, and was later cleared by the Rajya Sabha in the early hours of December 19 amid strong opposition.

Meanwhile, the Parliament on Friday passed the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB--G RAM G) Bill, with Rajya Sabha approving the legislation after it got the nod of the Lok Sabha.

The opposition members staged a walkout from the Rajya Sabha before the bill seeking 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.

However, 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.

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)