"MNREGA on agenda": Congress MP Imran Masood slams Modi govt over VB-G RAM G Act

New Delhi [India], January 29 (ANI): A day after Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju slammed the opposition for the uproar during President Droupadi Murmu's Budget session address, Congress on Thursday said that the party will raise the MNREGA issue during the budget session which began on Wednesday with an address by President Droupadi Murmu to a joint sitting of both houses of Parliamet.
Congress MP Imran Masood criticised the Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) Act, the Central government's new rural job scheme, and accused the government of "breaking the backs of the poor".
"They are talking about something that makes no sense. We have our MNREGA agenda. You (government) have broken the backs of the poor, so will we be banned from speaking as well? Are you just selling old goods in new packaging, repackaging the entire President's address in old and new boxes? Is there anything else besides that? We spoke about MNREGA, and there was nothing else," Masood told ANI.
After the adjournment of a joint session of Parliament on Wednesday, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju criticised the act of the opposition during the session. He said that the opposition has made the country feel ashamed for the behaviour they displayed in parliament.
"What the Opposition did when the President was addressing both Houses of Parliament makes the country ashamed. The country will never forgive Congress and its allies," Rijiju said.
Pointing out the behaviour of the opposition during the session, he said, "Can a responsible MP behave like this? When the 150th anniversary of Vande Mataram was being mentioned, and tribute was being paid to Bankim Chandra Chatterjee, the entire Opposition started creating a ruckus. When the 350th Shaheedi Diwas of Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji was mentioned, the opposition created a ruckus. When Babasaheb Ambedkar's 150th birth anniversary was mentioned, they created a ruckus yet again. When the centenary celebration of Bharat Ratna Bhupen Hazarika was mentioned, they created a ruckus. The anniversaries of Guru Tegh Bahadur, Vande Mataram, Bankim Chandra Chatterjee, and Sardar Patel are very important topics, and everyone should bow and salute. All should welcome the while president addresses the parliament, but at such time they are insulting them by sloganeering."
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said that the country would not stand the insult of prominent personalities.
"I can tolerate my insult, but Guru Tegh Bahadur, Bhupen Hazarika, Sardar Patel, 125th anniversary of Birsa Munda, insulting these altogether, and all over that insulting, while mentioning the 150th anniversary of Vande Mataram. I believe the country will not forgive. Politics can be done in anything, but politics in these matters, I think, the country will not forgive them."
The session will span 30 sittings over 65 days, concluding on April 2. The two Houses will adjourn for a recess on February 13 and reconvene on March 9 to enable the Standing Committees to examine the Demands for Grants of various ministries and departments.(ANI)