Rahul Gandhi Launches Nationwide Protest Against Controversial G RAM G Bill
Opposition Leader's Stance on the G RAM G Bill
New Delhi: On Friday, Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, announced plans for a nationwide movement against the Viksit Bharat, Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Bill, which he claims was rushed through Parliament without sufficient examination and discussion.
Just a day prior, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge had vowed to initiate a countrywide protest against the government's 'dictatorial' tactics in pushing the G RAM G Bill, intended to replace the MGNREGA.
Gandhi emphasized that MGNREGA is a highly effective poverty alleviation initiative, asserting that he and his party will not allow the Modi administration to dismantle the rural poor's essential safety net.
"We will unite with workers, local councils, and states to counter this initiative and create a national coalition to ensure the repeal of this law," he stated emphatically.
Expressing concern over the swift passage of the G RAM G Bill through both Houses, he accused the Modi government of dismantling two decades of MGNREGA in a single day and criticized the new scheme's 'anti-state and anti-village' nature, which aims to replace the UPA-era Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act.
Since its introduction, the G RAM G Bill has sparked heated exchanges between government and opposition members, with the latter accusing the ruling party of erasing the legacy of the Father of the Nation. The Bill was approved in the Lok Sabha on Thursday amidst significant opposition uproar and was later passed by the Rajya Sabha after discussions that extended into early Friday morning.
Gandhi dismissed the government's assertion that G RAM G is merely an enhancement of MGNREGA, taking to social media to criticize the administration in a detailed post.
Last night, the Modi government demolished twenty years of MGNREGA in one day.
VB–G RAM G isn’t a “revamp” of MGNREGA. It demolishes the rights-based, demand-driven guarantee and turns it into a rationed scheme which is controlled from Delhi. It is anti-state and anti-village…
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) December 19, 2025
He further argued that by limiting work opportunities and introducing more barriers to access, the VB-G RAM G will undermine the one tool that the rural poor rely on.
"We witnessed the significance of MGNREGA during the COVID pandemic. When the economy came to a halt and livelihoods were jeopardized, it prevented millions from succumbing to hunger and debt," he remarked.
Highlighting the program's advantages for impoverished households, particularly women, he noted that they have consistently been among the largest beneficiaries of MGNREGA.
He pointed out that women have contributed over half of the total workdays year after year, and it is they, along with Dalits, Adivasis, landless laborers, and the most disadvantaged OBC communities, who will suffer the most from this change.
Gandhi also criticized the Modi government for ignoring the opposition's concerns regarding the contentious Bill, accusing the administration of forcing it through Parliament.
"This legislation was pushed through without adequate scrutiny. The opposition's request to refer the Bill to a Standing Committee was denied. A law that alters the rural social contract and impacts millions of workers should never be rushed through without thorough committee review, expert input, and public hearings," he concluded.