Tamil Nadu Alliance to Protest Against New Employment Bill

The Secular Progressive Alliance in Tamil Nadu, led by the DMK, is organizing a statewide protest on December 24 against the Union government's VB-G RAM G Bill, which seeks to repeal MGNREGA. The alliance argues that this move threatens rural livelihoods and undermines a crucial social security program. With participation from various stakeholders, the protest aims to highlight the potential negative impacts of the new legislation on employment and wages for millions of rural families. Chief Minister M.K. Stalin has voiced concerns over the implications of the bill, emphasizing the need to protect the rights of the rural poor. This demonstration marks a significant escalation in the political confrontation over employment guarantees in the state.

By Narendra Chaudhary Dec 20, 2025, 11:52 IST

Statewide Demonstration Planned

Chennai, December 20: The Secular Progressive Alliance (SPA) in Tamil Nadu, spearheaded by the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), has declared a statewide protest set for December 24. This action is in response to the Union government's recently introduced Viksit Bharat - Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) Bill, 2025, which aims to repeal the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).

The DMK and its coalition partners view this legislative move as a direct threat to rural livelihoods and an effort to undermine a key social security initiative that has benefited millions of vulnerable families for nearly twenty years.

The protest is designed to rally support from beneficiaries of the existing 100-day rural employment program, alongside district secretaries, MLAs, local representatives, and members from the alliance parties.

As per a statement from the SPA, protests will commence at 10 a.m. across the state, including locations in Chennai, district headquarters, and village panchayats.

The alliance has called upon all individuals reliant on the current rural job scheme to join in, emphasizing that the new legislation threatens not only wages and employment days but also the fundamental guarantee of work that MGNREGA established.

The statement further criticized the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Union government for acting against the interests of the impoverished and condemned the AIADMK for its support of the Centre on this matter.

The SPA contends that the proposed legislation imposes an unjust financial burden on state governments and diminishes legal protections that ensure timely wage payments, transparency in job distribution, and accountability in execution.

Opposition to the VB-G RAM G Bill has grown in Tamil Nadu since December 18, when the state government formally expressed its concerns to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, in a comprehensive letter, articulated worries that the removal of Mahatma Gandhi's name symbolizes an effort to erase the essence of a rights-based employment law. He cautioned that the new framework could jeopardize the livelihoods of millions of rural poor, particularly in Tamil Nadu, where the scheme has been effectively utilized. He also warned that shifting financial responsibilities to states without adequate central funding could strain relations between the Centre and states, hindering poverty alleviation initiatives.

With the protest on December 24, the DMK-led alliance aims to increase political pressure on the Centre, indicating a prolonged struggle over what they perceive as a significant rollback of rural employment guarantees.