The passage of a contentious bill related to rural employment has ignited a fresh political firestorm, with the Congress party gearing up to launch nationwide protests. The Modi government's decision to push the legislation through Parliament without sending it to a key parliamentary committee for review has drawn sharp criticism from the opposition, setting the stage for a major confrontation.
Opposition Alleges Partisan Motives in Bypassing Committee
At the heart of the controversy is the government's refusal to refer the bill to the Standing Committee on Rural Development for detailed scrutiny. Congress MP Saptagiri Ulaka, who chairs this committee, told the media that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was wary of the panel precisely because it is headed by an opposition member. He claimed the government was "scared" of the reports his committee has been submitting.
Ulaka alleged that the Modi government prefers to send legislation to Joint Parliamentary Committees (JPCs) instead of standing committees due to partisan considerations. He argued that JPCs are often headed by chairpersons who are more amenable to the government's views, suggesting things get done more easily with what he termed as "dummies." The opposition, during the parliamentary debate, vocally demanded that the bill be sent to Ulaka's committee for proper vetting.
Congress Plans to Turn MGNREGA into Rallying Cry
Seeing an opportunity to reconnect with its rural base, the Congress is planning to turn the perceived "dilution" of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) into a nationwide rallying point against the BJP. The party's highest decision-making body, the Congress Working Committee (CWC), will hold a special session on December 27 to discuss the issue.
Sources indicate that a concrete plan for mass protests may be formulated during this brainstorming session. There is a strong belief within the Congress that it can use this issue to reach out to the rural poor and galvanize an agitation similar to the successful 2015 movement against the proposed amendments to the Land Acquisition Act, which forced the government to retreat.
Parliament March Signals Opposition Unity
The opposition's intent was on full display on Thursday when a large contingent of MPs from the INDIA bloc took out a march within the Parliament complex. The lawmakers walked from the Gandhi statue to the main Parliament entrance behind a huge banner that read "Mahatma Gandhi - NREGA," while raising slogans against the government.
The protest march saw participation from top leaders including Mallikarjun Kharge, K C Venugopal, Kanimozhi, T R Baalu, N K Premachandran, and A Raja. Senior Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also joined the demonstration, underscoring the party's commitment to the issue.
Addressing the media, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge declared, "Against this tyranny of the dictatorial government, we will fight from Parliament to the streets." The tone of the upcoming CWC meeting will be crucial in determining whether the Congress can mobilize a serious mass movement, especially after struggling to mount effective resistance against the BJP in recent months. The party is also expected to discuss strategy for states facing elections.
