Opposition to protest against MGNREGA, SIR issues in Budget session

28 Jan 2026 Evaluate

Opposition parties have decided to raise the issues of MGNREGA repeal and SIR during the Budget session in Parliament and to stage a democratic protest against them while participating in debates on the Motion of Thanks to the President's address and the Union Budget.

Floor leaders of several INDIA bloc parties met today at the office of Rajya Sabha Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge to discuss their strategy for the session. The leaders also decided to protest during the debate on the Motion of Thanks as well as during the Union Budget presentation and debate.

AICC general secretary Jairam Ramesh said, ‘The Opposition will use all democratic means to demand the restoration of MGNREGA.’

Following protests by opposition members during the President’s address to the joint sitting of the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju criticised the move, calling it ‘a matter of shame for the country.’ Rijiju said, ‘While tributes were being paid to ‘Vande Mataram’ on its 150th anniversary and to Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, the opposition created a ruckus, disrupting the House when the nation should have been remembering their sacrifices.’

The meeting included former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi, AICC general secretaries Ramesh and K.C. Venugopal, DMK’s T.R. Baalu, Shiv Sena (UBT)’s Arvind Sawant, Samajwadi Party’s Javed Ali Khan, RJD’s Prem Chand Gupta, CPI(M)’s John Brittas, CPI’s P. Sandosh, and RSP’s N.K. Premchandran. While, TMC and AAP leaders were not present.

The opposition meeting comes a day after top Congress leaders decided to raise in Parliament's Budget session issues concerning MGNREGA and SIR despite the government's refusal to debate them again.

That decision was taken at a meeting of the party’s parliamentary strategy group held on Tuesday at the residence of Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi, which was attended by the Leaders of Opposition in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, Rahul Gandhi and Kharge.


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