Shivraj Chouhan attacks Congress over MNREGA protests

Terming the Congress’ over its proposed “MNREGA Bachao Sangram” from January 10, the Centre on Sunday slammed the Opposition for attempting to shield corruption rather than protect rural workers. Defending VB G RAM G law, Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Chouhan said corruption was rampant under the MGNREGA and accused the Congress of spreading misinformation on the VB-G RAM G scheme.

Addressing a press conference, Chouhan on Sunday the Congress was opposing reforms and spreading misinformation about the revamped rural employment guarantee framework, the VB G RAM G law, which he claimed plugs corruption, guarantees 125 days of work, and mandates unemployment allowance if work on demand is not provided.

The Union Minister highlighted that under previous administrations, contractors often replaced workers, machinery was used instead of manual labour, and repeated projects drained resources without creating permanent assets. Social audits conducted by village assemblies reportedly uncovered more than a million complaints, ranging from inflated worker rolls to elderly individuals being falsely shown as labourers.

“MGNREGA had become synonymous with corruption. Under social audits done by gram sabhas, there were more than 10,51,000 complaints. The same work was repeated, work was done by machines, money was siphoned off in the name of cleaning canals, roads, 30 per cent workers were above the age of 60,” Chouhan said.”An amount of more than INR 8,48,000 crore has been given under the (Narendra) Modi Government, while over INR 2 lakh crore were given during the (Congress-led) UPA (regime). Were permanent assets created? Could the money be used for development?” he asked.

To counter the Congress’ proposed “Save MGNREGA” movement scheduled to begin on January 5, the BJP brass is set to launch a nationwide outreach campaign including door to door campaign in support of the G-RAM-G scheme.  

The BJP leader, including president J P Nadda, newly appointed working president Nitin Nabin, and general secretary (organisation) B L Santhosh, held a video conference on Saturday evening with the party’s Union Ministers, MPs from both Houses, Chief Ministers, Deputy Chief Ministers, state presidents, and state general secretaries for organisation. As part of the campaign, the party plans to organise interactions with farmers and labourers, along with press conferences, seminars and public meetings across the country especially poll bound states — West Bengal, Assam, Tamil Nadu and Kerala. Union Agriculture Minister addressed the media on Sunday to expose the Congress’ narratives on “Save MGNREGA.

“The Congress is a factory of lies. It is now saying that workers will not get work,” the Union minister said, while asserting that the interests of workers would be better protected under VB-G RAM G. He asked why Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi was not present in the Lok Sabha during a debate on the issue.”The Congress has announced a MGNREGA Bachao Sangram. It is actually a save corruption campaign,” he said.

Chouhan said in the next financial year, an amount of INR 1,51,282 crore would be allocated for the scheme, of which, the Centre’s share would be more than INR 95,600 crore.”There is enough money for 125 days. It will also ensure the development of villages,” he added.

Asserting that “VB-G RAM G is a better scheme than MGNREGA”, he said, “My appeal to the Congress is that it should not spread misinformation and lies. Instead, it should thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi for making this scheme better.”

Rejecting Congress’ criticism that the scheme burdens states and undermines employment guarantees, Bharatiya Janata Party leaders said that funding ratios — 60:40 for most states, 90:10 for hill and North-eastern states, and 100 per cent for Union Territories — are consistent with other Centrally sponsored programmes.

Chouhan said under the new scheme, concrete work for rural development would be undertaken in the form of projects on water conservation, roads, schools, anganwadi buildings, hospitals, ponds, check dams, FPO (farmer-producer organisation) structures and natural-disaster management.”This plan is a blueprint for making villages self-reliant and independent,” he said.

The Congress on Saturday announced a nationwide “MGNREGA Bachao Sangram” from January 10 to February 25 to demand the withdrawal of the VB G-RAM-G Act, restoration of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) as a rights-based law, the right to work and the authority of panchayats.

The Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission Bill, or VB-G RAM G, was passed with a voice vote amid protests in the Rajya Sabha on December 18, 2025, hours after the Lok Sabha cleared it.

On December 21, President Droupadi Murmu gave her assent to the Bill, making it an Act, which replaces the rural employment law, MGNREGA, guaranteeing 125 days of wage employment per rural household every financial year.

The move was met with protests from opposition parties as well as activists, who have argued that the rights-based approach under the earlier law has been changed and also opposed Mahatma Gandhi’s name being removed from the name of the scheme.

The Congress is a factory of lies. It is now saying that workers will not get work. The Congress has announced a MGNREGA Bachao Sangram. It is actually a save corruption campaign- Union Agriculture Minister, SHivraj Singh Chouhan