VB-G RAM G Act weakens role of gram sabhas; harms villages, poor: UP Congress secretary Avinash Pande

Lucknow: Congress general secretary Avinash Pande on Sunday accused the BJP of weakening the role of gram sabhas in the new rural employment law, the VB G RAM G Act, and harming villages and the poor of the country.

He said Gram sabha was the soul of the UPA-era rural employment legislation Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), which has been replaced by the Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB G RAM G) Act.

"Selection of works, prioritisation of tasks and monitoring of labourers under MGNREGA were within the purview of the gram sabha, but this has now been brought under the central portal, guidelines and ministries, reducing the gram sabha to a mere formal institution," he said.

The gram sabhas checked corruption and ensured transparency and accountability, he said.

Pande's remarks came a day after the Congress announced a nationwide campaign against the repeal of MGNREGA from January 5, with Rahul Gandhi accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi of "single-handedly destroying" the legislation and claiming that this attack on the democratic structure will ruin the rural economy.

Pande, also the Uttar Pradesh in-charge of the Congress, further said that respecting the aspirations of its workers, the party will contest the 2026 local bodies elections and MLC elections on its own.

The Congress has already begun preparations to contest all seats in the 2027 Uttar Pradesh assembly elections and is ready to take on the BJP as part of the opposition INDIA bloc, he said.

He said challenges facing the country are a matter of great concern for the Congress.

"Currently, the common people of the country are struggling with inflation and unemployment, and farmers are in distress. The BJP is continuously attempting to disrupt communal harmony in the country. A conspiracy is being hatched to continuously weaken democracy and the constitution," he charged.

On the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the Uttar Pradesh electoral rolls, Pande said this is not a simple administrative process, but a "well-planned attempt" by the BJP to influence the electoral system.

"Large-scale deletion of voters' names from the electoral rolls is highly suspicious. This is depriving ordinary citizens of their constitutional right to vote," he said.

Under the protection of the BJP government, attempts are being made to manipulate electoral processes, he claimed.

"This is a direct attack on the Constitution, the impartiality of the Election Commission, and the trust of the people," he added.

Asserting that the Congress will not remain silent on this issue, Pande said that in the coming 100 days, the party will organise 30 rallies across the state under the "Constitution Dialogue" programme to raise awareness among people.

On the occasion of the Congress' 140th Foundation Day, Pande and Uttar Pradesh unit chief Ajay Rai paid floral tributes at the statues of Mahatma Gandhi and former prime ministers Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi in the party office premises.