The ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and its alliance partners staged widespread demonstrations across Tamil Nadu on Wednesday, vehemently opposing the central government's decision to replace the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) with the Vivekananda Balika Gramin Aajeevika Mission Garib Kalyan (VBGRAMG). The protests, which saw significant participation from key leaders, were marred by the tragic death of an elderly participant in Coimbatore.
Statewide Demonstrations Reflect Political Unity
Chief Minister M K Stalin stated that the protests were organized at 389 locations throughout the state, calling it a reflection of the voice of the poor and marginalized sections of society. The demonstrations in Chennai witnessed the presence of prominent alliance party leaders, including MDMK general secretary Vaiko and VCK president Thol Thirumavalavan, alongside leaders from left parties. DMK Members of Parliament, Members of the Legislative Assembly, and various functionaries joined the coordinated agitations.
Taking to social media platform X, CM Stalin framed the protest as a national issue, stating, "The BJP, which is acting with hatred towards Gandhiji, should understand that the protest is not just the voice of people in Tamil Nadu but the voice of farmers across the country. The livelihood of the poor should be guaranteed." His comments set the tone for the alliance's criticism, which heavily centered on the perceived disrespect towards Mahatma Gandhi's legacy.
Leaders Accuse BJP of 'Anti-People' Policies
The protest speeches were marked by strong condemnations of the Bharatiya Janata Party-led central government. Vaiko directly accused the BJP government of being 'anti-people' and 'anti-Mahatma Gandhi.' Echoing this sentiment, VCK's Thol Thirumavalavan asserted that the BJP's intent was to belittle Gandhi by removing his name from the flagship rural employment scheme.
In Madurai, CPM state secretary P Shanmugam participated in the protests and accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government of harboring a long-standing 'grudge' against Gandhi's legacy. He claimed that since the BJP came to power in 2014, there have been consistent attempts to disrupt the MGNREGA scheme, which guarantees 100 days of wage employment.
The criticism extended to the practicalities of the new scheme. In Trichy, MDMK MP Durai Vaiko challenged the viability of VBGRAMG, which promises 125 days of employment. "VBGRAMG is a misleading program. It reduces the Union government's funding role and increases the burden on state governments," Durai said, highlighting fiscal federalism concerns.
Tragic Incident in Coimbatore
The statewide protest was overshadowed by a tragic incident in Coimbatore. An 80-year-old woman identified as P Ponnammal, a resident of Ottarpalayam, collapsed at a protest site around 11 am. She was immediately rushed to a private hospital, but doctors declared her brought dead. Her body was subsequently shifted to the Mettupalayam Government Hospital for a postmortem examination. The death of the elderly protester added a somber note to the day's political events.
The large-scale, coordinated protests underscore the mounting political opposition in Tamil Nadu to the central government's policy shift on rural employment. The DMK-led alliance has positioned itself as the defender of both state's rights and the welfare schemes associated with the Gandhi name, signaling a major point of contention ahead of future electoral battles.
