Congress slams 'trouble-engine' U.P. govt. for 'brutal lathi-charge' on MGNREGA Bachao protesters

The Congress on Sunday (January 11, 2026) alleged that the "Yogi-Modi trouble-engine" government in Uttar Pradesh ordered the police to "brutally lathi-charge" National Students' Union of India (NSUI) protesters taking out a peaceful march in Varanasi as part of the party's nationwide 'MGNREGA Bachao Sangram'.

Congress general secretary in charge of communications, Jairam Ramesh, shared a video clip in which police could be seen purportedly pushing and using force against the protesters.

In Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Parliamentary Constituency Varanasi, students, led by NSUI national president and my young colleague Varun Chaudhary, held a 'MGNREGA Bachao Sangram' march, Mr. Ramesh said in a post in Hindi on X.

"It was a completely peaceful and democratic demonstration conducted within the framework of constitutional rights, but the Yogi-Modi 'trouble-engine' government was so afraid of being questioned that it ordered the police to brutally lathi-charge the protesters," he alleged.

The NSUI is the student wing of the Congress. Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi also lashed out at the BJP over the incident.

"The brutal use of force and arrests targeting NSUI students peacefully protesting in Varanasi against the dismantling of MNREGA and the denial of the right to employment to millions of workers is highly condemnable. We strongly condemn this cowardly act," she said in a post in Hindi on X.

"The Narendra Modi government is snatching away the legal right to employment from millions of workers, and those who raise their voices are being subjected to brute force. Every single worker of the Congress party stands firmly against this injustice, oppression, and repression," she said.

On Saturday (January 10), the Congress launched its 45-day nationwide campaign — MGNREGA Bachao Sangram — against the repeal of the UPA-era rural employment law by holding press conferences at every district.

The Opposition party's agitation demanding the withdrawal of the Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) Act and restoration of MGNREGA as a rights-based law in its original form, the right to work, and the authority of panchayats will continue till February 25.

Press conferences were held at all the district headquarters on Saturday (January 10), highlighting the manner in which MGNREGA was repealed and replaced by the VB-G RAM G Act in the Winter Session of Parliament.

This was followed by a day-long fast and symbolic protests at the district headquarters on Sunday (January 11). From January 12 to 29, chaupals and mass contact programmes will be organised at all the gram panchayats, followed by ward-level peaceful sit-ins on January 30 to press for the right to work.

“From February 7 to 15, State-level gheraos of Vidhan Sabhas will be organised, while four major rallies will be held between February 16 and 25 before the culmination of the nationwide movement,” the party said.

The Congress is demanding the complete withdrawal of the VB-G RAM G law and restoration of MGNREGA. It has said that while the agitation against the now-repealed black farm laws was Delhi-centric, the MGNREGA Bachao Sangram will be panchayat, block, district, and State-centric

The VB-G RAM G, was passed with a voice vote amid protests in the Rajya Sabha on December 18, 2025, hours after the Lok Sabha cleared it.

On December 21, President Droupadi Murmu gave her assent to the Bill, making it an Act, guaranteeing 125 days of wage employment per rural household every financial year.