Bhubaneswar: On a day when President Droupadi Murmu gave assent to the Viksit Bharat — Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin), or VB-G RAM G Bill, 2025, the Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) said party workers will stage dharnas and protests across the state on Monday, demanding withdrawal of the Centre’s decision to rename MGNREGA.
VB-G Ram G will replace the two-decade-old MGNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act).
OPCC president Bhakta Charan Das alleged that the Modi government has not only renamed MGNREGA, but also altered several provisions of the Act to “exploit” the poor.
“When you have not given anything to the poor, why are you taking away the benefits provided to them by Congress?” he asked.
Calling it an attack on poor people, Das said the Centre’s decision was an attempt to remove Gandhi ji’s name from the history of India.
Odisha Congress will hold dharna and protests before statues of Mahatma Gandhi in all organisational districts of the Congress on Monday.
#WATCH | Bhubaneswar, Odisha: On renaming MGNREGA, Odisha Congress President Bhakta Charan Das says, “… Sonia Gandhi has expressed deep concern over this name change issue. Congress initiated this scheme to secure employment for the rural underprivileged people of the… pic.twitter.com/p86ECDgKWu
— ANI (@ANI) December 21, 2025
Besides protest marches, Congress workers will submit memorandums to district collectors demanding withdrawal of the new name.
Congress will also hold demonstrations in several western and southern Odisha districts to protest against alleged irregularities in procurement of paddy from farmers on December 23 and 24.
Slamming Tata Power for levying additional security deposit (ASD) on domestic electricity consumers in the state, Das demanded immediate withdrawal of the decision, and urged consumers not to pay ASD to the company.
Describing the move as “anti-people” and “unethical,” Das said Congress will stage a protest over the issue on December 26 and 29.