New Delhi, Jan 28 (IANS) Union Health Minister and Leader of House in the Rajya Sabha J.P. Nadda on Wednesday strongly condemned what he described as the “utterly reprehensible” behaviour of the opposition, led by Congress, during President Droupadi Murmu’s address in Parliament.
The opposition parties staged a protest inside Parliament over the alleged scrapping of the MGNREGA scheme while the President was addressing a joint sitting of both Houses.
As President Murmu spoke about the newly introduced Viksit Bharat-G RAM G law, the opposition leaders stood up and raised slogans in protest, disrupting the proceedings.
Reacting sharply, Nadda said, “With the address by President Droupadi Murmu, the Budget Session of Parliament began today. However, the way the leaders of the Congress party and other opposition leaders once again completely disregarded parliamentary decorum today is utterly reprehensible.”
President Murmu, while highlighting the nationwide celebrations marking 150 years of Bankim Chandra Chatterjee’s immortal composition Vande Mataram, paid tribute to the inspiration it continues to provide, and also congratulated Parliamentarians for holding a special discussion on the occasion.
Nadda further said that when the President was addressing both Houses of Parliament in a joint session and was talking about the 150th anniversary of Vande Mataram, paying homage to Bankim Chandra Chatterjee’s contributions, the “anarchic Congress and the INDIA bloc created a ruckus and started shouting slogans.”
Nadda accused the opposition of showing disrespect to national symbols and cultural icons.
“While shouting these slogans, they insulted the Vande Mataram song and also insulted the revered sage Bankim Babu. The entire country witnessed this scene. I don’t understand why the Congress and the INDIA bloc have so much hatred for Vande Mataram, Bankim Babu, and the land of West Bengal,” he said.
The Rajya Sabha Leader of House also expressed surprise at the participation of the Trinamool Congress in the protest.
“Surprisingly, the Trinamool Congress was also a part of the opposition’s disruption. The way these people have hurt the dignity of Parliament is highly condemnable. No amount of condemnation or censure is enough. These people should apologise to Parliament and the country,” Nadda added.
The Viksit Bharat - Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) or VB-G RAM G Bill, 2025, was passed by Parliament in December last year. It replaces MGNREGA (2005) to boost rural development, according to the government.
Key updates in this Act include raising guaranteed annual employment from 100 to 125 days per household, establishing a 60:40 Centre-state funding, and focusing on infrastructure to fulfil the resolution of Viksit Bharat 2047.
--IANS
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