Tripura, 19 Dec 2025: Political tensions have intensified across the country following the central government’s proposal to amend the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) and introduce a new bill reportedly titled “VBG Ramji.” Opposition parties and labor organizations have strongly criticized the move, alleging that the proposed bill would severely undermine the rights, livelihoods, and income security of MGNREGA workers.
Against this backdrop, the Tripura Khet Mazdoor Union organized a large-scale protest march and public meeting on Friday in Agartala, demanding the immediate withdrawal of the proposed bill. The protest culminated in a rally near the City Centre area, where a significant number of agricultural and rural laborers gathered to voice their opposition.
Demonstrators carried placards and banners denouncing the bill as “anti-worker” and “anti-poor.” The protest reflected growing concerns among rural labor communities that the proposed changes could weaken one of India’s most important employment safety nets.
Addressing the gathering, Union Secretary Shyamal Dey launched a sharp attack on both the central and state governments. He alleged that the government was deliberately attempting to restrict income opportunities for poor workers. “The new bill proposes that MGNREGA work will not be allowed during the agricultural season. This is completely irrational and impractical,” he said.
Dey questioned how employment days would be generated if work was halted during peak agricultural periods, and how millions of workers would sustain their livelihoods in the absence of alternative income sources. He accused the government of imposing “absurd and harmful rules” that would financially cripple rural households.
“Preventing crores of poor people from earning through work goes against the very spirit of democracy,” Dey stated, emphasizing that MGNREGA is not merely a government scheme but a fundamental lifeline for rural survival and dignity.
Speakers at the meeting announced that the Khet Mazdoor Union, along with the All India Agricultural Labourers’ Organization and various workers’ and coordination committees across the country, would jointly intensify the movement against the bill. December 19 has been declared a nationwide “Protest Day.”
Concluding his address, Dey warned that the “anti-people and anti-public-interest bill” could not be defeated through statements alone. “A nationwide mass movement is necessary,” he said, urging workers, farmers, and conscientious citizens to unite in resistance.
Protesters cautioned that if their demands are ignored, the agitation will be escalated further in the coming days.
