NEW DELHI: The Congress on Saturday announced the first phase of nationwide ‘MGNREGA Bachao Sangram’ (Save MGNREGA campaign ) from January 10 to demand the withdrawal of the VB G-RAM-G Act, and restoration of MGNREGA as a rights-based law, the right to work, and the authority of panchayats.
Addressing a joint press conference, Congress general secretaries K C Venugopal and Jairam Ramesh said through the new VBG RAM G Act, the Centre has ensured complete centralisation as ‘employment will no longer be a right under the new Act’, which will be challenged in court.
Venugopal said the Congress will explore all options including legal routes to stop the implementation of the new law. On whether the states ruled by the INDIA bloc constituents would not implement the new Act or oppose it, Venugopal said the Congress would hold consultations with all the alliance partners on the way forward.
A consensus will be reached within the opposition-ruled chief ministers, and ‘we will explore possibilities of how to move forward on this’, Venugopal said. Sharing details, he said the MGNREGA Bachao Sangram will commence on January 10 and continue till February 25.
Ramesh claimed that no BJP-ruled state is in a position to implement the G-RAM-G law, which, he said, is against the federal structure of the country. Venugopal also termed the Act an attack against the federal structure itself, as ‘no discussion was held with the states to implement it, even as their finances will be disturbed’.
He said through the ‘MGNREGA Bachao Sangram’, the Congress aims to defend the right to work, protect the Panchayati Raj institutions, and stand with the women workers, Dalits, Adivasis, and the rural poor by taking the issue to every village of the country.
‘Our clear demand is to withdraw the VB-GRAM-G Act and restore MGNREGA in its original, rights-based form, restoring people’s right to work and the authority of the panchayats,’ Venugopal said.