G RAM G Bill tabled in LS, Oppn asks why Bapu’s name removed | India News

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**Revised Title:** "Govt Tables G RAM G Bill, Leaving Opposition Scathed Over Mahatma Gandhi's Name Removal" **Revised Article:** The Union government introduced the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin), or VB-G RAM G Bill, 2025, in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday, sparking a heated debate over the removal of Mahatma Gandhi's name from the scheme. The opposition strongly objected to the move, with Congress lawmaker Priyanka Gandhi Vadra calling it a reflection of "personal ambition, obsession, and prejudice." The new bill proposes to guarantee 125 days of wage employment per rural household, an increase from the current 100 days under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA). However, the opposition pointed out that the bill does not mention an increase in wages. Gandhi Vadra questioned the government's decision to rename the scheme, citing unnecessary expenditure. Defending the bill, Union agriculture minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan invoked Mahatma Gandhi's ideals of Ram Rajya (rule of Ram) and accused the opposition of double standards. He pointed out that previous governments had also renamed schemes, and the current government has done more for rural development than its predecessors. The opposition, however, argued that the bill weakens both the spirit and structure of the central scheme. Congress lawmaker Shashi Tharoor called it a "deeply regrettable and retrograde step" for the nation and its commitment to the welfare of its most vulnerable citizens. He alleged that the use of G-RAM-G was unconstitutional and questioned the bill's financial structure, which shifts 40% of the funding burden to states. Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi termed the bill an insult to the ideals of Mahatma Gandhi and accused the PM Modi-led government of seeking to eliminate the secure livelihood of the rural poor. The Congress has announced a nationwide protest against the bill, with party general secretary KC Venugopal urging state Congress presidents to organise protests at all district headquarters. The bill's fate now hangs in the balance as the opposition has proposed sending it to a parliamentary panel for further scrutiny.