New Delhi, Jan 3 (NationPress) The Congress party declared a nationwide protest against the G-RAMG Act starting January 8, accusing it of “quietly undermining” the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA) and threatening the legal right to work for rural residents.

This announcement was made during a press conference held at the Congress headquarters in New Delhi, featuring party general secretary K. C. Venugopal and senior leader Jairam Ramesh.

During his address, Venugopal stated that the Congress has developed a comprehensive strategy to safeguard MNREGA with a nationwide initiative named ‘MNREGA Bachao Abhiyan’. He remarked, “The G-RAMG Act is legislation introduced by the Indian government. A serious discussion took place regarding our future actions against this law, and the Congress National Committee has resolved to initiate a vigorous campaign across the nation to preserve MNREGA.

Describing the new legislation as detrimental, Venugopal asserted, “This law aims to eliminate MNREGA. Thanks to MNREGA, instances of hunger diminished, migration decreased, and infrastructure such as roads, canals, and dams were constructed. During the COVID-19 pandemic and the economic downturn, MNREGA served as a safety net for the citizens of this nation.”

He further contended that under the G-RAMG framework, employment ceases to be a guaranteed right. “Employment will no longer be assured under G-RAMG. Work will be allocated solely through panchayats and not by the government. MNREGA was driven by demand, whereas G-RAMG incorporates budget limitations. It quietly eliminates the legal right to work,” Venugopal expressed.

Jairam Ramesh cautioned that the decentralised aspect of MNREGA is being dismantled. “The MNREGA program was decentralised. Now, all decisions will be made in Delhi, and rural areas will suffer. Numerous panchayats may receive no funding,” he added.

Ramesh claimed that the law infringes upon constitutional provisions. “Article 258 of the Constitution states that this formula should be established after consultation between the state and central governments. However, they bypassed this process and made decisions independently. This is a violation of the Constitution,” he stated.

Comparing it to the farmer protests, Ramesh noted, “The protests against the three farm laws were centred in Delhi, but the MNREGA Bachao Abhiyan will not be limited to Delhi. It will unfold at the state, district, block, and panchayat levels.”

He recalled that MNREGA was enacted in 2005 with broad political support and thorough committee review. “In this new legislation, it’s not about Viksit Bharat, but Vinash Bharat. We demand the reinstatement of MNREGA, to safeguard rural India,” Ramesh declared.

Outlining the campaign's roadmap, he mentioned that activities would commence on January 8 and continue for 45 days. “This will be a national movement. If necessary, we will pursue legal action. The outcome will mirror that of the three controversial farm laws,” he concluded.