Out in New Delhi, Mallikarjun Kharge stood firm against whispers of renaming a major jobs program tied to villages. The man leading Congress raised his voice when talking about scrubbing Mahatma Gandhi’s name from something so widely known. At a gathering focused on workers under that very act, he made it clear – his party won’t back down. Should anyone try weakening what the law stands for, resistance will come fast. This stance comes just ahead of lawmakers returning to work next month, starting their duties on January 28. Memory matters, especially when history is stitched into everyday survival.
A gathering put together by the Rachnatmak Congress brought together MGNREGA labourers from every corner of India. What stood out was Kharge pointing fingers at the central government, led by the BJP, for chipping away at village self-rule bit by bit. Instead of MGNREGA, a new plan called VB-G RAM G now takes its place – this shift didn’t come quietly. The name change, dropping Mahatma Gandhi’s entirely, wasn’t just administrative – it carried weight, he claimed. Removing that name, according to him, feels less like policy and more like an attempt to fade a figure from people’s minds.
“Our fight is going to be a long one. Satyagraha or shouting slogans will not help alone. Till they repeal the new law and restore MGNREGA, we will continue our struggle,” Kharge said. He assured workers that the Congress would raise the issue forcefully in Parliament. “In the Budget Session, we will fight on this issue. This is our promise to you,” he added.
Folks out in villages count on MGNREGA – not just as a policy, but as something they’re entitled to. When work comes through this law, it also strengthens village councils. Kharge stressed how weakening it would hurt countless families who depend on those jobs. Power shifting closer to people could slip away if changes water down what’s written.
Rahul Gandhi Compares Past Farm Law Repeal To Current Situation
Standing before the crowd, Rahul Gandhi pointed at how MGNREGA is being treated much like those farm laws scrapped earlier. The way things are going, he said, shows a pattern – weakening support meant for struggling families just as they did when pushing through disputed farming changes. His voice steady, he linked current moves to past actions, suggesting a consistent effort to erode basic guarantees for low-income workers across India.
“The concept of MGNREGA was to give rights to the poor. It was not charity. The thinking was to provide work to those who need it, and the scheme was to be run through Panchayati Raj institutions,” Gandhi said. He stressed that the word “rights” was central to MGNREGA, as it guaranteed employment on demand to rural citizens.
Folks once stood together when farming rules sparked anger. That pushback made leaders step back from those plans. Now someone says a promise meant for struggling workers might be at risk. Every person needing jobs was guaranteed one through a national effort. But suspicion points toward top officials wanting change there too. The idea of automatic work access could fade if things continue. Standing strong worked before, so why not again? Workers everywhere might need to gather just like others did out in the fields.
“We all put pressure unitedly and got the farm laws repealed. They are doing the same thing with workers that they did with farmers,” he said, as quoted by news agency PTI.
Opposition Claims Government Favors Big Business
Focusing on the new VB-G RAM G Act, Rahul Gandhi said it shifts control over jobs and money straight to the top. Power moving away from villages, he pointed out, could sideline elected gram sabhas entirely. Where state leadership aligns with BJP, advantages might quietly grow. Local choices giving way, authority gathers where few can reach.
“What workers used to receive directly will now be given to contractors and bureaucracy,” he said. Gandhi also accused the government of promoting an economic model that benefits a handful of corporate groups at the cost of the poor. “They want assets to be concentrated in a few hands so that poor people are dependent on Adani and Ambani. That is their model of India,” he charged.
It struck folks when he paused, blanking on the new law’s title – asked listeners to call it out. Power, he insisted, keeps sliding toward those at the peak, shaping choices behind closed doors. A single ruler calling every shot – that is the version of India they are after, according to Gandhi. Moments like his forgetfulness, he argued, reveal how far such rules drift from everyday life.
Fistfuls of earth arrived at the event, carried by workers from their job locations under MGNREGA. Pots were filled with that soil while top Congress figures looked on. A quiet act, yet loud in meaning – labour stood taller here, rooted like plants in fresh ground.
On January 10, earlier in the month, the Congress began a 45-day national push called ‘MGNREGA Bachao Sangram’, resisting any rollback or weakening of the old UPA legislation. Instead of accepting changes, opposition parties want the VB-G RAM G Act taken back; they insist MGNREGA return exactly as it was – built on legal entitlements, offering assured work, managed by village councils.
Facing the Budget Session, talk about MGNREGA could spark sharp clashes. Government plans may meet fierce pushback when funds come up. Tension builds as parties prepare their moves. Debate looms large once Parliament reconvenes. Expect loud arguments where support meets resistance.
