AAP Leads Massive Protest in Punjab Against MNREGA Renaming, Calls Move Anti-Worker

Thousands of workers and leaders from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) gathered in Fatehgarh Sahib, Punjab, on Sunday to protest against the Union government’s decision to rename and alter the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA). Protesters described the move as “anti-worker” and demanded that the rural employment scheme continue in its original form without any dilution or structural changes.

During the protest, AAP workers raised slogans against the central government and held banners in support of MNREGA. Party leaders said the demonstration was meant to send a strong message that any attempt to weaken the scheme would directly harm poor rural households, particularly landless labourers who rely on MNREGA for survival.

MNREGA Workers Fear Impact on Rural Employment

Many MNREGA workers attending the protest said the scheme provides rural families with at least 100 days of guaranteed paid work every year. They noted that in Punjab and several other states, MNREGA acts as a backbone of the village economy, especially during periods of crop failure or seasonal unemployment.

Workers explained that MNREGA wages are often used to meet basic needs such as food, children’s education and healthcare expenses. They warned that uncertainty surrounding the scheme increases insecurity for crores of rural citizens. Some participants also expressed concern that policy changes could lead to reduced work availability or further delays in wage payments, which are already irregular in many regions.

Row Over New MNREGA Name Passed in Parliament

The protest comes after the Union government renamed MNREGA as “Viksit Bharat Gaurantee For Rozgar and Ajivika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G)”. According to AAP leaders, a bill related to this change was passed during the winter session of Parliament. Several opposition parties, including AAP, have opposed the renaming, calling it unnecessary and harmful.

AAP leaders alleged that passing the bill was a direct attack on workers’ rights. They argued that MNREGA is not merely a welfare programme but a legal guarantee of employment and social security for the rural poor, and any change undermines its original intent.

Budget Cuts and Fear of Phasing Out MNREGA

Speakers at the rally accused the Union government of steadily reducing the MNREGA budget over the years. They claimed that budget cuts, followed by the renaming of the scheme, indicate a gradual attempt to weaken or phase out MNREGA altogether.

AAP functionaries warned that such measures could reduce job opportunities in rural areas and push already vulnerable families deeper into debt.

AAP Warns of Nationwide Agitation

AAP leaders declared that the party would continue to fight for MNREGA workers’ rights “from the streets to Parliament”. Protesters warned that if the Union government does not roll back decisions related to MNREGA, the agitation will intensify across the country, with more protests and coordinated actions planned in multiple states in the coming months.