Indore (Madhya Pradesh) [India], December 20 : Stressing that the Opposition's work is to oppose, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on Saturday targeted the Congress over the VB-G RAM G Bill (Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin)), questioning the party's aversion to Lord Ram.
CM Yadav also highlighted that the original employment guarantee scheme was launched as NREGA (National Rural Employment Guarantee Act) and that the name of Mahatma Gandhi was later added in the context of elections.
"The opposition's job is to oppose, and our job is to work. We all know that the scheme was launched under the name NREGA. They added Mahatma Gandhi's name to it in the context of the elections. I still haven't understood why the Congress party has such an aversion to the name of Lord Ram and what exactly they are angry about," CM Yadav said.
He also added that earlier, the opposition had created obstacles to the Ram temple construction, noting that when the foundation stone-laying ceremony took place, they avoided it.
"Even after the temple was constructed in Ayodya, Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi have not visited there till date. So, I don't understand why the Congress has resentment towards Lord Ram," he added.
Earlier on Friday, the Parliament passed the VB-G RAM G Bill, with the Rajya Sabha approving the legislation after it got the nod of the Lok Sabha.
The 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. They demanded that the Bill be referred to a Select Committee.
The Bill was passed in the Lok Sabha on December 18, 2025, and was later cleared by the Rajya Sabha in the early hours of December 19 amid strong opposition.
Meanwhile, Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said the Bill would play an important role in the welfare of the poor. He accused the Congress of showing disrespect to the ideals of Mahatma Gandhi.
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 Centre and the states will be 60:40. For the Northeastern states, Himalayan states, and Union Territories, including Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir, the ratio will be 90:10.
Section 6 of the Bill allows state governments to notify in advance a period aggregating up to 60 days in a financial year, covering peak agricultural seasons such as sowing and harvesting.