Protest Erupts as Controversial Bill Replaces MGNREGA

TMC MPs and other opposition leaders staged an overnight protest at the Parliament complex against the G RAM G Bill, which they claimed was 'bulldozed' through without discussion. The Bill seeks to replace the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, sparking outrage among protestors over its implications for rural employment.

Lawmakers from the Trinamool Congress (TMC), along with members from other parties, engaged in an overnight dharna at the Parliament complex to voice their opposition to the newly passed G RAM G Bill. They accused the government of hastily pushing the Bill without adequate discussion, arguing it undermines the existing Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).

Amid frigid temperatures, the protestors, armed with banners of Mahatma Gandhi and Rabindranath Tagore, remained vigilant at the gate of Samvidhan Sadan. TMC's deputy leader, Sagarika Ghose, criticized the government for dismantling a vital employment scheme for the rural poor, accusing it of employing 'bulldozer tactics.'

MPs from Congress, DMK, and other parties stood in solidarity, providing moral and logistical support. Food and refreshments were shared among the protestors as they emphasized the Bill's potential negative impact on rural workers. Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan defended the new law, stating it addresses flaws in the former scheme.