The Jharkhand unit of the Congress party launched a major street protest in Ranchi on Monday, vociferously opposing the central government's newly introduced VB-G-Ram rural job scheme, which replaces the longstanding Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA).
March to Raj Bhavan and Key Allegations
Led by state party president Keshav Mahto Kamlesh, a large contingent comprising Congress ministers, MLAs, and party cadres marched from Morhabadi's Bapu Vatika to Lok Bhavan. The protesters raised slogans against the BJP-led government at the Centre, demanding an immediate rollback of the new scheme. Jharkhand Congress in-charge K Raju, who is on a three-day visit to the state, also participated in the demonstration.
Addressing the media, Raju launched a strong defence of the old MNREGA. "MGNREGA, which was brought by the UPA government, had given people the legal right to 100 days of employment, and work determination was in the hands of gram panchayats," he stated. He emphasized that the essence of MNREGA was to ensure panchayat development through local people, providing economic security to poor families and earning global acclaim as a model for rural jobs. He noted that even during the Covid-19 pandemic, lakhs of people relied on MNREGA for survival.
Raju further criticized the structural changes in the new law. "However, in the new law by the Modi government, schemes and locations will be decided by the central government and not the actual workers. Also, the new law has provisions for getting work done through contractors while MGNREGA didn't have this," he added.
Financial Burden and Ideological Accusations
State Congress president Kamlesh attacked the BJP government over budgetary allocations. He claimed that while the UPA government consistently increased MNREGA's budget every year, the BJP government since 2014 has been cutting it down. He highlighted the financial implications for states, saying, "Under the MGNREGA scheme, the government had made a provision of a 90:10 contribution between the Centre and the states... The current scheme has determined a 60:40 ratio which will break the economic backbone of many states."
The protest saw sharp ideological accusations as well. State Finance Minister Radha Krishana Kishore alleged, "The Central government has changed MGNREGA's name and nature to erase Mahatma Gandhi's thoughts from the minds of people... so that BJP can strengthen Hindutva ideology and benefit from it." He termed the scheme a conspiracy to weaken non-BJP ruled states.
Congress leader Pradeep Yadav accused the Centre of systematically undermining welfare laws and issued a stark warning: "The way BJP is snatching all rights, one day it will also snatch the right to vote."
BJP's Defence and Future Protests
Reacting to the protest, state BJP president Babulal Marandi defended the VB Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin). He argued that the new scheme is designed to ensure employment for the poor, tribal, and backward communities. "In the new scheme, every rural family will now get a guarantee of 125 days of employment instead of 100 days per year. Also, there is a provision for unemployment allowance in case work is not available," Marandi stated.
Undeterred by the BJP's defence, the Congress party has planned a series of campaigns across Jharkhand against the repeal of MNREGA, stretching till February. Monday's march signals the beginning of a sustained political confrontation in the state over the crucial issue of rural employment guarantees.
