December 17, 2025
Bapi Haldar’s speech on The Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin): VB – G RAM G (विकवित भारत – जी राम जी) Bill, 2025
Thank you, Hon. Speaker Sir, for giving me the opportunity to speak on the Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin): VB–G RAM G (Viksit Bharat–G Ram G) Bill, 2025, which is yet another step towards snatching away the fundamental rights of the common people. At the very outset, I express my gratitude to our Honourable Chief Minister, Smt. Mamata Banerjee; and to our beloved Member of Parliament, Shri Abhishek Banerjee- who was detained by the Delhi Police while fighting for the rights of the people of West Bengal under this scheme. Our women Members of Parliament were also detained on that day. The people of Bengal and the people of India witnessed the anti-Bengal actions of this Government on that occasion. Since March 2022, this Government has not allocated a single rupee to West Bengal under this scheme, purely because of its anti-Bengal attitude. Yet, time and again, it has falsely claimed that the allocated funds for Bengal have been released. Our leader, Shri Abhishek Banerjee, repeatedly appealed to the authorities in Delhi. If even a single rupee has been released to West Bengal after March 2022, then a White Paper should be published so that the people of Bengal and the people of India may know that Bengal’s dues have been settled. Till date, no such White Paper has been published, and the people of Bengal and India still remain unaware because Bengal’s rightful dues have not been paid. Approximately 1 crore 37 lakh families and 2 crore 56 lakh job card holders in West Bengal, under the leadership of Chief Minister Smt. Mamata Banerjee, has repeatedly secured top positions in the implementation of this scheme across the country. This Government, having failed to physically harm the people of Bengal, is now conspiring to starve them. It has withheld ₹52,000 crore of the hard-earned money of the working people of Bengal. Sir, it was stated in this sacred Parliament, through legislation, that job card holders would be given work for 14 days and that on the 15th day, the wages would be directly deposited into their bank accounts. Those who claim to be the custodians of law are now violating the law itself, disregarding the orders of the High Court and the Supreme Court, and have still not paid Bengal’s rightful dues amounting to ₹52,000 crore. This Government, while changing the names of various schemes and institutions, is ultimately hurting the sentiments of the people of Bengal. They are sparing no one—sometimes Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, sometimes Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, sometimes Raja Ram Mohan Roy. They have even conspired to insult Rabindranath Tagore, the world-renowned son of Bengal, by removing the title of Mahatma given by him from the name of this Bill. By removing Mahatma Gandhi’s name from this Bill, Rabindranath Tagore has effectively been insulted. Sir, this project does not involve merely a change of name. The funding pattern has also been altered from 90:10 to 60:40, thereby shifting a greater financial burden onto the State Governments. This clearly reflects an intention to gradually dismantle this scheme in the future. I strongly oppose this Bill. While it speaks of extending employment from 100 days to 125 days, the reality is that this Government has failed to provide even 100 days of work. The people of Bengal have been denied their rightful entitlement under the 100-day work scheme. I strongly protest against this Bill and request that it be referred to a Joint Parliamentary Committee for detailed examination. Thank you.
