CHENNAI: The Lok Sabha Secretariat has issued a notice to Madurai MP from CPM, Su Venkatesan, seeking his response to complaints alleging breach of privilege and contempt of the House during protests in Parliament against the Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) Bill, 2025, which replaces the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).
In a communication dated December 23, from the Committee of Privileges branch of the Lok Sabha Secretariat, Venkatesan was informed that BJP MPs Nishikant Dubey, Sanjay Jaiswal, PP Chaudhary and PC Mohan had submitted notices accusing him and some other Members of Parliament of misconduct, obstruction and disobedience to the authority of the Speaker by entering the well of the House during the debate on the Bill on December 18.
He has been asked to submit his reply by January 2, 2026, for consideration by the Speaker.
Reacting to the notice, Venkatesan said the BJP government had last week introduced a Bill in Parliament to scrap the MGNREGS and replace it with the VB-G RAM G scheme, thereby depriving crores of Indians of their legally guaranteed right to work and removing Mahatma Gandhi's name from the law.
He said more than 220 Opposition MPs had staged a determined protest demanding that the "anti-people" Bill should not be passed.
Over 50 Opposition members spoke during the debate and urged that the Bill be referred to a Parliamentary Standing Committee. However, he alleged that the BJP government ignored widespread opposition, parliamentary democracy, the voice of the Opposition and the demands of crores of people, and pushed the legislation through.
Venkatesan said BJP leaders had now lodged complaints seeking action against MPs who protested against the law inside Parliament.
He asserted that the struggle against the VB-G RAM G Act, which he described as being against the interests of millions of Indians, would continue with strength, and said attempts to intimidate the Opposition would be firmly resisted.