New Delhi, Jan 3 (UNI) Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday made three key demands of urging the government to withdraw the VB GRAM G Act; restore the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) as a ‘rights-based’ law; and restore the Right to Work and Panchayats’ authority.
Taking to social media handle X, he emphasized that MGNREGA is a legal guarantee, not charity, and has been instrumental in providing work to crores of poor people in their own villages.
“MGNREGA reduced hunger and distress migration, raised rural wages, and strengthened women’s economic dignity,” Kharge said, highlighting the scheme’s impact. He alleged that the VB GRAM G Act is designed to dismantle this right, and the Congress opposes it because it will undermine the guaranteed right to work, cap budgets, and push Gram Sabhas and Panchayats into irrelevance.
The Congress president listed several concerns with the VB GRAM G Act, including the 60-day work blackout, uncertain wages, and the forced funding of 40% of the scheme by states, which would weaken federalism and harm poor states. He also criticized the use of technology to exclude workers through biometric and app-based barriers.
Kharge warned that attacking MGNREGA is equivalent to attacking the constitutional rights of crores of workers.
“We will RESIST, peacefully and firmly, from every Panchayat to Parliament,” he said, announcing the party’s resolve to fight against the government’s move.
