Congress announces national protest against G-RAMG Act

New Delhi: The Congress on Saturday announced a nationwide agitation against the G-RAMG Act from January 8, alleging that it “silently kills” the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA) and undermines the legal right to work guaranteed to rural citizens.

The announcement was made during a press briefing at the Congress office in New Delhi by party general secretary K. C. Venugopal and senior leader Jairam Ramesh.

Addressing the media, Venugopal said the Congress has finalised a detailed plan to protect MNREGA through a countrywide campaign titled ‘MNREGA Bachao Abhiyan’. He said, “G-RAMG is a law enacted by the Indian government. There was a serious discussion about the future course of action against this law, and the Congress National Committee decided to launch a strong campaign throughout the country to save MNREGA.”

Calling the new legislation harmful, Venugopal said, “This law wants to kill MNREGA. Because of MNREGA, hunger reduced, migration declined, and roads, canals and dams were created. During the COVID period and economic crisis, MNREGA became a protective net for the people of this country.”

He further alleged that under the G-RAMG framework, employment is no longer a guaranteed right. “Under G-RAMG, employment is no longer a right. Work will only be provided through panchayats and not by the government. MNREGA was demand-driven, while G-RAMG includes budget caps. It silently kills the legal right to work,” Venugopal said.

Jairam Ramesh warned that the decentralised nature of MNREGA was being dismantled. “MNREGA was a decentralised scheme. Now everything will be decided in Delhi and villages will suffer. Many panchayats will receive zero funds,” he added.

Ramesh alleged that the law violates constitutional provisions. “Article 258 of the Constitution says this formula should be decided after consultation between the state and central governments. But they did not do so. They decided it themselves. This violates the Constitution,” he said.

Drawing a parallel with the farmers’ agitation, Ramesh said, “The three farm laws protest was Delhi-centric, but MNREGA Bachao Abhiyan will not be Delhi-centric. It will take place at the state, district, block and panchayat levels.”

He recalled the origins of MNREGA, saying it was passed in 2005 with broad political consensus and committee scrutiny. “In this new law, it is not Viksit Bharat, it is Vinash Bharat. We demand MNREGA be brought back, and rural India be saved,” Ramesh said.

Announcing the road map, he said the campaign would begin on January 8 and run for 45 days. “This will be a national movement. If needed, we will go to court. The result will be the same as what happened with the three black farm laws,” he added.

IANS