New Delhi [India], December 19 (ANI): TMC MP Sushmita Dev on Friday criticised the central government over the replacement of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) with Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Bill, 2025, also known as the VB-G RAM G Bill, saying that even though the Bill ensures a 125-day employment guarantee, the centre will decide how many people will get the job.

'CM Mamata Banerjee has said that the G-RAM-G Bill has ended the 100-day employment guarantee. Bill now provides for a 125-day guarantee. But the truth is that the Govt of India will now decide how many people will get those rights...' she said.

She further slammed the centre for providing only 60% of funds, a serious decline from the previous 90%, stating that it has destroyed the core purpose of the MGNREGA. Calling the BJP's mindset as anti-Gandhi and anti-poor, she said that the protests will carry on throughout the country.

'What is worse is that the Centre will now provide only 60% of the funds, and not the earlier 90%. So, they have destroyed the basic goal of MGNREGA. Why did they drop the name of Mahatma Gandhi?... Their mindset is anti-Gandhi and anti-poor, and this has been proven once again...We will protest in every village, every district and every place in Bengal,' she added.

Earlier, TMC MP Dola Sen also slammed the BJP government, saying that the party was not a part of the freedom struggle and hence does not respect freedom fighters like Mahatma Gandhi.

'BJP people were not a part of the freedom movement, so they have no respect for Mahatma Gandhi and other freedom fighters,' she said.

She further stated that Mahatma Gandhi was again assassinated when the Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Bill, 2025, also known as the VB-G RAM G Bill, was passed in the Parliament.

'Their predecessor, Nathuram Godse, assassinated Mahatma Gandhi, and these people respect him. Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated in 1948, and yesterday he was assassinated once again in the House because his name was dropped from NREGA...' she added.

Meanwhile, the VB-G RAM G 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.

Meanwhile, TMC has been holding a 12-hour protest against the Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Bill, 2025, also known as the VB-G RAM G Bill, since 12 am on Friday. The ongoing dharna is taking place outside Samvidhan Sadan in the Parliament complex against the Bill. (ANI)