GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 19th Dec: Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Thursday launched a sharp attack on the Congress and other opposition parties, accusing them of “tarnishing democracy” through unruly conduct in Parliament during the passage of the G RAM G Bill, which seeks to replace the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA).
Reacting to the uproar in the Lok Sabha after the Bill was passed by a voice vote, Chouhan said he was deeply distressed by the scenes witnessed in the House. “My heart is heavy. The opposition has transformed democracy into mob rule,” he told reporters.
Opposition MPs, demanding that the Bill be referred to a standing committee, protested in the Well of the House carrying photographs of Mahatma Gandhi and tore copies of the legislation after Speaker Om Birla disallowed further debate and put the Bill to vote.
“Parliament is not just a building of bricks and mortar, it is a temple of democracy. Meaningful discussions should take place,” Chouhan said, adding that he had listened carefully to the opposition’s arguments during the debate and was prepared to respond. “But the kind of undignified behaviour displayed today is a betrayal of Bapu’s ideals,” he said.
Strongly condemning the protests, Chouhan said parliamentary traditions had been shattered. “Democracy has been turned into mobocracy,” he remarked.
Taking a swipe at the Congress, the minister said, “The Congress has ‘Ram’ on its lips but a dagger in its heart,” accusing the party of hypocrisy. Defending the government’s move to replace the two-decade-old MNREGA scheme, Chouhan argued that earlier rural employment was guaranteed for 100 days, while under the new framework it has been increased to 125 days, along with special provisions for weaker sections.
Addressing criticism over the revised funding pattern, under which states will now contribute 40 per cent of wages, Chouhan said the Centre would still bear the major share. “Out of the proposed ₹1.51 lakh crore, the Centre will contribute over ₹95,000 crore,” he said.
He also countered remarks by Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, who accused the government of a “renaming craze” and said the new law would weaken rural employment support. After the House was adjourned, Priyanka Gandhi said the opposition would continue to oppose the Bill, calling it “anti-poor” and warning that shifting the financial burden to states would effectively dismantle the employment guarantee scheme.
