← POLITICS 12/28/2025

The Congress party has launched a full-scale offensive against the central government over significant changes to the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA). The party alleges the modifications effectively dismantle the program, drawing parallels to the 2016 demonetization policy. A nationwide protest is scheduled to begin January 5th.

Criticism centers on the introduction of a new system – VB-G RAM G – which opponents claim will restrict access to crucial public data previously available through MGNREGA. Concerns have been raised that this new system isn’t a genuine reform, but a measure to curtail transparency and ultimately reduce the program’s scope. LibTech, a digital rights organization, has warned the VB-G RAM G Act could replace MGNREGA altogether.

Rahul Gandhi, a prominent Congress leader, has directly accused Prime Minister Modi of unilaterally weakening MGNREGA without consulting the cabinet. He contends the changes represent a deliberate effort to undermine a vital social safety net for rural populations. The Congress party is framing the issue as a direct attack on the livelihoods of India’s rural workforce and intends to mobilize public opinion against the perceived dismantling of the scheme.