Rahul Gandhi In Germany; Priyanka Gandhi Leads Congress Attack on Government Bills

With Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi abroad in Germany attending an Indian Overseas Congress event, first-time MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has stepped up to lead the Congress Party in the Lok Sabha during the ongoing Winter Session of Parliament as of December 17, 2025. The Wayanad representative has emerged as a forceful voice, mounting sharp critiques of government bills and countering BJP attacks, earning praise for her parliamentary performance.

Priyanka Gandhi delivered a scathing attack on the Viksit Bharat - Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Bill—dubbed the G Ram G Bill—introduced by Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan to replace the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA). She highlighted MGNREGA's 20-year success in providing demand-based employment to the rural poor, its bipartisan support when enacted, and its empowerment of Gram Sabhas.

The Congress leader argued that the new bill weakens constitutional rights to employment by allowing predetermined central funding instead of demand-driven allocation, reduces the Centre's contribution to 60% for most states—burdening them amid pending GST dues—and diminishes Gram Sabhas' role in assessing local needs.

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When treasury benches interjected with remarks linking Mahatma Gandhi to her family during her criticism of removing his name from the scheme, Priyanka swiftly responded, "Mahatma Gandhi is not from my family, but he is like my family member, and the entire country feels the same way." She questioned the government's pattern of renaming schemes at public cost and urged withdrawal of the bill for broader consultation, warning against laws driven by "whim, ambition and prejudice".

Leading the opposition's walkout in protest, Priyanka held a portrait of Mahatma Gandhi while marching on Parliament premises and raising slogans, ensuring strong visibility for the Congress stance both inside and outside the House. Her assertive leadership—building on a viral speech during the recent Vande Mataram debate—has solidified Priyanka Gandhi's position as a prominent Congress figure in Parliament, effectively filling the void left by her brother's absence amid the BJP's earlier jibes at Rahul Gandhi's overseas travel.

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