As the opposition mounts a strong offensive against the newly passed VB-G-RAM-G Bill, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has launched a nationwide mobilization of its cadre to defend the legislation, arguing it is a progressive step towards rural development and empowerment. The bill, which replaces the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), has become a major flashpoint in Indian politics, with the BJP touting it as a modernizing reform and the opposition decrying it as an assault on the rights of the poor.
The Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Bill, 2025, promises a revised approach to rural employment and livelihoods. A key feature of the VB-G-RAM-G Bill is the increase in guaranteed wage employment from 100 to 125 days per rural household per year. The BJP contends that this expansion demonstrates the government's commitment to enhancing livelihood opportunities in rural India. Furthermore, the BJP argues that the new act ensures more employment, transparency, planning, and accountability, compared to MGNREGA. They also claim that the Act aligns with the "Viksit Bharat by 2047" goal for a developed India.
However, the opposition remains unconvinced. Opposition parties, including the Congress and AAP, have heavily criticized the bill, alleging that it weakens safeguards for rural laborers and was rushed through Parliament without proper scrutiny. A primary point of contention is the removal of "Mahatma Gandhi" from the scheme's name, which opposition leaders see as an attempt to erase the legacy of the Father of the Nation. Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has stated the party will protest against the VB-G-RAM-G Bill, claiming it will end the MGNREGA scheme. Some opposition members tore copies of the bill in protest after it was passed.
The BJP refutes these claims, with leaders asserting that the VB-G-RAM-G Act is not a demolition of MGNREGA, but an overdue repair. They accuse the opposition of spreading misinformation and being troubled by the inclusion of the word "Ram" in the Act's name. Union Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal stated that the changes made in the bill are people-centric and that the Congress' opposition is for political reasons.
Adding fuel to the fire, the BJP and opposition are at odds over the financial implications of the new law. The opposition claims that the VB-G-RAM-G Bill shifts the financial burden to the states, potentially jeopardizing the program's effectiveness. Under the new law, 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. The BJP, however, argues that MGNREGA was never funded at 90 percent by the Centre in practice and that states already bore a significant portion of the costs.
As both sides dig in their heels, the BJP's cadre mobilization signifies the party's determination to shape the narrative around the VB-G-RAM-G Bill. BJP state units are conducting awareness drives to dispel what they call misinformation and highlight the benefits of the new legislation. Meanwhile, the Congress has announced a 45-day nationwide agitation to pressure the government into restoring MGNREGA. The coming weeks promise to be a period of intense political activity as the BJP and the opposition battle for public opinion on the future of rural employment in India.
