By: News Reporter, Tripura24.in Agartala, Tripura Monday, February 2, 2026
Agartala: Responding to the nationwide call given by the All India Agricultural Workers Union (AIAWU), the Tripura Khet Majur Union (West District Committee) organized a massive protest rally in the capital city today. The demonstration was part of a coordinated national agitation demanding the immediate reinstatement of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), which was recently replaced by the central government’s new Viksit Bharat–Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) [VB-G RAM G] Act.
The protest march commenced from the Chatra Yuva Bhavan near Melarmath, where hundreds of agricultural laborers and activists gathered with red flags and placards. The procession traversed the major thoroughfares of Agartala, echoing with slogans against the “dilution of labor rights” and “insulting the legacy of the Father of the Nation” by removing his name from the flagship scheme.
The “Death of Rural Livelihoods”
The rally culminated in a massive demonstration in front of the Labour Department (Shram Bhavan), where union leaders addressed the gathered workers. Speaking to Tripura24.in, the protesters alleged that the new VB-G RAM G Act fundamentally destroys the “rights-based” nature of rural employment.
“For twenty years, MGNREGA was the backbone of the rural economy, providing a legal guarantee of 100 days of work. By turning it into a centrally controlled mission, the government is making employment a matter of ‘discretion’ rather than a ‘right’,” said a senior leader of the West District Committee.
Key Demands of the Union:
- Restoration of MGNREGA: Immediate repeal of the VB-G RAM G Act and reinstatement of the original 2005 legislation.
- Increase in Workdays: Demand to extend the guaranteed workdays to 200 days per year to combat rural distress.
- Wage Hike: A demand to fix the daily wage at ₹600, considering the “sky-high” inflation in 2026.
- Removal of Digital Barriers: Protesters argued that mandatory biometric and AI-based attendance are excluding elderly and technologically disadvantaged rural workers from the system.
Escalating the Agitation
The West District Committee warned that this is only the beginning of a larger movement. Similar protests were reported from various subdivisions across Tripura today. The union leaders announced that if the central government does not roll back the new law, they will join the All India General Strike scheduled for February 12, 2026, alongside trade unions and farmers’ organizations.
The peaceful yet energetic rally caused temporary traffic diversions in the Melarmath and City Centre areas. Security was tightened around the Labour Department to prevent any untoward incidents, but the program concluded without violence after a memorandum was submitted to the authorities.
