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Opposing officials’ refusal to see their request successful the docket seeking the contiguous withdrawal of the Viksit Bharat—Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) Act, 2025, residents of Shenbagapudur panchayat successful Sathyamangalam taluk boycotted the gram sabha gathering held connected Monday (January 26, 2026).
The workers submitted a petition demanding the withdrawal of the Act and adoption of a solution to that effect. When officials declined to instrumentality up the issue, villagers staged a walkout and aboriginal assembled successful beforehand of the panchayat office, raising slogans against the authorities.
In the petition, the workers said the MGNREGS, enacted successful 2005, guarantees 100 days of employment to agrarian labourers and has, implicit 2 decades, created assemblage assets worthy respective crores, reduced distress migration, improved groundwater levels and ensured dignified livelihoods. They alleged that the caller Act would dilute these rights, trim workers to beneficiaries astatine the discretion of the government, and interruption national principles by shifting 40% of the fiscal load to the States.
As the protestation continued for implicit 2 hours, Sathyamangalam Block Development Officer Arthanari and Police Inspector Ilango held talks with the workers and urged them to enactment successful the meeting. The talks, however, failed, and the protesters dispersed aft reiterating their boycott.
More than 100 workers, including Tamil Nadu Agricultural Labourers Union office-bearers S.C. Natraj, took portion successful the protest, which caused hostility successful the country for astir 3 hours.
