Punjab Minister for Rural Development and Panchayats, Tarunpreet Singh Sond, protested against the newly enacted Viksit Bharat — Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Act, 2025 (VB-G RAM G) in Khanna town. He criticized the Act as a detrimental law that threatens the rural economy and the livelihoods of vulnerable sections of society. Sond emphasized that the new Act would particularly impact Scheduled Caste communities, women, and landless laborers, depriving them of essential work opportunities during crucial agricultural seasons.
The minister vowed to challenge the Act, stating that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) would escalate the protest to Delhi to protect the rights of workers dependent on the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA). Meanwhile, AAP spokesperson Kuldeep Dhaliwal condemned the BJP-led central government and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) for allegedly targeting MGNREGA workers with the G-RAM-G Act. Dhaliwal accused the government of jeopardizing the livelihoods of millions of workers, especially those from marginalized communities, through this legislation.
Dhaliwal affirmed AAP’s strong opposition to the Act in the state Assembly and declared readiness to take the protest to the streets to defend the rights of MGNREGA workers.
