‘MGNREGA Bachao’: Congress declares nationwide stir

Congress has announced a nationwide ‘MGNREGA Bachao Sangram’ from January 10 to February 25, demanding withdrawal of the VB-G RAM G Act and restoration of MGNREGA as a rights-based employment guarantee, alleging centralisation and federal violations

New Delhi: The Congress on Saturday announced a nationwide ‘MGNREGA Bachao Sangram’ from January 10 to February 25 to demand the withdrawal of the VB G-RAM-G Act, and restoration of MGNREGA as a rights-based law, the right to work, and the authority of panchayats.

Addressing a joint press conference, Congress general secretaries KC Venugopal and Jairam Ramesh said through the new VB G RAM G Act, the Centre has ensured complete centralisation as “employment will no longer be a right under the new Act”, which will be challenged in court.

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On whether the States ruled by the I.N.D.I.A bloc constituents would not implement the new Act or oppose it, Venugopal said the Congress would hold consultations with all the alliance partners on the way forward.

A consensus will be reached within the opposition-ruled chief ministers, and “we will explore possibilities of how to move forward on this”, Venugopal said.

Ramesh claimed that no BJP-ruled State is in a position to implement the G RAM G law, which, he said, is against the federal structure of the country.

Venugopal also termed the Act an attack against the federal structure itself, as “no discussion was held with the states to implement it, even as their finances will be disturbed”.

He said through the ‘MGNREGA Bachao Sangram’, the Congress aims to defend the right to work, protect the Panchayati Raj institutions, and stand with the women workers, Dalits, Adivasis, and the rural poor by taking the issue to every village of the country.

“Our clear demand is to withdraw the VB GRAM G Act and restore MGNREGA in its original, rights-based form, restoring people’s right to work and the authority of the panchayats,” Venugopal said.

Sharing details, he said the MGNREGA Bachao Sangram will commence on January 10 and continue till February 25.

“This is not only a Congress programme… We will hold detailed discussions with all the opposition-ruled states, and fight together,” Venugopal said.

On January 10, district-level press conferences will be held, followed by a day-long fast and symbolic protests at the district headquarters on January 11, the Congress leaders said.

From January 12 to 29, panchayat-level chaupals and mass contact programmes will be organised at all the gram panchayats, followed by ward-level peaceful sit-ins on January 30 to press for the right to work, they said.

From February 7 to 15, state-level gheraos of Vidhan Sabhas will be organised, while four major rallies will be held between February 16 and 25 before the culmination of the nationwide movement, Venugopal said.

Ramesh said it is not just a ‘MGNREGA Save Campaign’, it is the ‘MGNREGA Save Struggle’ and its first phase will begin on January 8 with preparatory meetings at all the state Congress headquarters to finalise plans for the agitation.

While the VB G RAM G Act has a grand name, the only guarantee in it is “dangerous centralisation”, Ramesh said.

“There is no guarantee of employment or financial assistance for the state governments,” he noted.

Claiming that under the Act, only the Central government will decide how funds will be allocated, Ramesh said it has become a centralised programme and not a right to employment, unlike in MGNREGA, where it was the responsibility of the Central government to provide employment.

The new law sets a 60:40 funding split between the Centre and the states, which is a violation of Article 258 of the Constitution, the Congress leaders alleged.

Ramesh said Article 258 states that this funding ratio will be determined only after the consent of the state governments and the Central government, but “they (the Centre) have decided it (the split) on their own without taking consent from anyone”.

“We will challenge it (the Act) in court,” Ramesh said.

“Our demand is not modification, but complete withdrawal of this law and restoration of MGNREGA,” he asserted.

Ramesh also said that while the agitation against the three “black” farm laws was Delhi-centric, the MGNREGA Bachao Sangram will be panchayat, block, district and state-centric.

The Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission Bill, or VB-G RAM G, was passed with a voice vote amid protests in the Rajya Sabha on December 18, 2025, hours after the Lok Sabha cleared it.

On December 21, President Droupadi Murmu gave her assent to the Bill, making it an Act, which seeks to replace the rural employment law, MGNREGA, guaranteeing 125 days of wage employment per rural household every financial year.