The Punjab Congress, under the leadership of its state president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, is set to launch a major statewide agitation named 'MGNREGA Bachao Sangram' on Thursday, January 8, 2026. The movement will commence from Gurdaspur and is a direct response to the central government's decision to replace the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) with the new Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission-Gramin (VB-G RAM G).
Congress Announces Statewide Agitation Plan
Announcing the protest on Wednesday, Warring declared that the movement aims to reach every corner of Punjab, down to the block and village level. He outlined that the first phase of the 'MGNREGA Bachao Sangram' will span from January 8 to March 12, covering nine key districts: Gurdaspur, Hoshiarpur, Nawanshahar, Ludhiana, Patiala, Sangrur, Bathinda, Moga, and Ferozepur.
The launch event in Gurdaspur will be led by AICC general secretary in-charge of Punjab and former Chhattisgarh chief minister, Bhupesh Baghel. Baghel is scheduled to attend all related programmes across the state during this phase of the agitation.
Warring Slams BJP and AAP Governments
In a scathing critique, Warring targeted the BJP-led central government for its decision to scrap MGNREGA. He emphasised that the scheme had "improved rural employment and provided livelihood to crores of downtrodden and marginalised people" across India over the past two decades.
Simultaneously, Warring took a sharp dig at the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Punjab. He addressed the BJP's defence of scrapping MGNREGA on grounds of poor implementation, stating that while it is a fact that the AAP government "miserably failed" in implementing the scheme in Punjab due to inefficiency, this failure does not justify ending the programme itself.
He accused the AAP of attempting to wash its hands of responsibility by merely holding a token special session of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha without any genuine intention to improve ground-level execution.
Drawing Parallels with Farm Laws Protest
Warring drew a direct comparison between the current situation and the protests against the now-repealed farm laws. He recalled that BJP leaders had defended the three controversial farm laws in a similar manner before Prime Minister Narendra Modi eventually withdrew them with an unconditional apology to farmers.
"The same will happen with MGNREGA also," Warring asserted. He predicted that the BJP government would eventually succumb to mass pressure and be forced to withdraw the new law, offering apologies to the crores of Indians whose livelihood is being threatened by this decision.
The Punjab Congress's campaign signifies a significant political mobilisation in the state, positioning the party against both the central BJP and the state AAP on an issue critical to rural employment and welfare.
