VB-GRAMG ‘undermines constitutional rights’, Congress to hold 45-day MGNREGA stir

Calling the VB-GRAMG Act “unconstitutional” and a systematic attempt to dilute the legal guarantee to employment, the Congress on Saturday announced a 45-day nationwide sangraam against the Narendra Modi government, to be carried out in three phases with a strong focus on rural India.

The party said the agitation against the killing of MGNREGA would begin on 8 January and, unlike earlier urban-centric protests, would be rooted primarily at the panchayat level.

• Phase 1 – 8 January 2026: State-level protests

• Phase 2 – Panchayat-level chaupals across all Gram Panchayats

• Phase 3 – District-level MGNREGA Bachao Dharna outside DC/DM offices, led by DCCs and grassroots leadership

Addressing the media, Congress general secretary K.C. Venugopal said the new law effectively dismantles the rights-based architecture of MGNREGA.

“Work will be provided only in panchayats notified by the central government. If a panchayat is not selected, people there have no entitlement to work, regardless of poverty or distress. This converts a constitutional promise into a government permission,” Venugopal said.

He said that while MGNREGA was a demand-driven programme, VB-GRAMG introduces budget caps and normative allocations.

“Once the funds are exhausted, work is stopped, no matter how desperate families are. This silently kills the legal right to work,” he added.

Congress communications in-charge Jairam Ramesh alleged that the law was pushed through without consulting states or other stakeholders, in violation of Article 258 of the Constitution, which mandates cooperation between the Union and states in the implementation of parliamentary laws.

“There is no legal guarantee in the new Act except the guarantee of making it a highly centralised employment programme,” Ramesh said.

He added that the Act provides no assured financial assistance to states.“ The central government alone will decide how funds are allocated, on what basis, and which panchayats will benefit. What was once a people’s right has now become a centrally controlled scheme,” he said. He also said that the party will challenge the VB-GRAMG in the court.

The Congress demanded the immediate withdrawal of the VB-GRAMG Act and the restoration of MGNREGA in its original, rights-based form, with full authority returned to panchayati raj institutions.

The party said the campaign aims to:

• Defend the constitutional right to work

• Protect panchayati raj institutions

• Stand with women workers, Dalits, Adivasis and the rural poor

• Take the issue to every village in the country

“Our clear demand is the rollback of VB-GRAMG and the revival of MGNREGA as a genuine legal entitlement,” the party said.