Neither Prime Minister Narendra Modi nor the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, were present — both were abroad — when the VB-G RAM G Bill was passed last week in Parliament by voice vote. The Modi government didn’t deem it necessary to send the Bill, which repeals and replaces the two-decade-old MGNREGA, to a standing committee for detailed scrutiny and for inviting public/expert opinions before its final passage. The MGNREGA was the flagship programme of the previous Congress-led UPA regime. Also, unlike, say, the farm laws, this is a programme that has lent itself to bipartisan support. By steamrolling the VB-G RAM G Bill through both Houses, the Modi government has repeated its mistake vis-à-vis the farm bills — they were also not referred to the parliamentary standing committee.

Source: Indian Express December 22, 2025 07:48 UTC