Opposition Walkout Sparks Fury: Union Minister Slams 'Unfortunate' Parliament Drama

He claimed that the opposition had been given time whenever they requested it, but they still chose to walk off rather than listen. While criticising the opposition, he said such behaviour is not acceptable in a democracy.

Speaking with the media, he said, "This is certainly unfortunate. The opposition's behaviour in the Lok Sabha was reprehensible. At the same time, they were given more time than they had requested. Instead of listening, the opposition tried to create an unfortunate atmosphere there... I believe that in democracy, there is neither expectation nor scope for such conduct and behaviour, nor can it be accepted...."

TMC MP Sagarika Ghosh, who is currently holding a Dharna on the Parliament premises, said the bill is an "insult" to India's poor, Mahatma Gandhi, and Rabindranath Tagore, and criticised it for giving the opposition just 5 hours' notice and not a proper debate.

She said, "The manner in which the Modi government has brought in this completely anti-poor, anti-people, anti-farmer, anti-rural bill, and has done away with the MNREGA, is an insult to India's poor, to Mahatma Gandhi, and also to Rabindranath Tagore. With just five hours' notice, this bill was presented to us, and we were not afforded a proper debate. We demanded that the bill be sent to a select committee so that opposition parties can examine and discuss it. In a display of tyranny, in a murder of democracy, today this government has bulldozed this bill... We are now going to sit on a 12-hour dharna against the manner in which this passed... This is the second assassination of Mahatma Gandhi..."

Congress MP Mukul Wasnik stated that when the UPA government introduced NREGA, discussions were held for 14 months across the country and that self-help groups, experts, and political leaders were also consulted.

Speaking with the media, he said, "In 2005, the UPA government introduced the NREGA. Discussions on the outline of this bill were held for 14 months nationwide. Self-help groups were contacted, and so were experts and political leaders. After reaching a consensus, MNREGA was approved by Parliament in 2005... State governments will be under tremendous economic burden. This new scheme will not be able to work for long, and crores of labourers will suffer..."

Parliament on Friday passed the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) Bill, with the Rajya Sabha approving the legislation after it received the Lok Sabha's nod.

Opposition members staged a walkout from the Rajya Sabha before the bill seeking to replace MGNREGA was passed. They pressed that the bill should be sent to a Select Committee.

Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said the bill will play an essential role in the welfare of the poor. He accused Congress of disrespecting Mahatma Gandhi's ideals.

The Bill guarantees 125 days of wage employment per rural household, up from the existing 100 days, for adult members willing to undertake unskilled manual work.

As per Section 22 of the Bill, the fund-sharing pattern between the Central Government and the State Governments will be 60:40, while for the North Eastern States, Himalayan States, and Union Territories (Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, and Jammu and Kashmir), it will be 90:10.

Section 6 of the Bill allows the state governments to notify in advance, a period aggregating to sixty days in a financial year, covering the peak agricultural seasons of sowing and harvesting.

Opposing the Bill, Congress announced a series of nationwide protests on December 17, accusing the BJP and RSS of attempting to "dismantle rights-based welfare".

The Lok Sabha passed the bill on Thursday amid protests and sloganeering by opposition members.

- ANI