Congress Protests Over MGNREGA Repeal: A Battle for Rural Employment

YS Sharmila Reddy accuses the BJP of distorting MGNREGA by introducing VB-G RAM G Act, as Congress plans major protests. With the support of Rahul Gandhi, Congress aims to oppose the repeal of MGNREGA. Protests in Karnataka, led by CM Siddaramaiah, emphasize concerns over centralization of power.

In a bold move, Andhra Pradesh Congress president YS Sharmila Reddy accused the central ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of distorting the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) by replacing it with the Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) or VB-G RAM G Act, 2025. She declared that the Congress party is planning significant protests as part of a campaign to 'Save MGNREGA,' which includes inviting Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi.

February 2, 2026, marks two decades since the MGNREGA's implementation, a program inaugurated under the leadership of Sonia Gandhi, Manmohan Singh, and then Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Rajasekhara Reddy. Sharmila expressed concerns that the BJP's new initiative hijacks the original scheme. She announced that Congress, including its Andhra Pradesh branch, would escalate their agitation, with plans to have Rahul Gandhi join the pushback.

In a parallel effort, the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) spearheaded a protest in Bengaluru, challenging the VB-G Ram G Act. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM DK Shivakumar led the charge to the Lok Bhavan in a protest dubbed 'Lok Bhavan Chalo.' Siddaramaiah asserted the Congress's stance against the repeal of MGNREGA, highlighting the loss of constitutional rights and increased centralization of authority by the Union government. He promised heightened protests across Karnataka until the VB-G Ram G is repealed and MGNREGA is restored.