Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu led a Congress protest against the central government's proposed replacement of MGNREGA with the Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Act. Sukhu described the move as anti-rural and detrimental to rural livelihoods, emphasizing MGNREGA's role in inclusive growth and local participation. He criticized the new act for centralizing planning and sidelining panchayats. The opposition BJP countered, calling the Congress protest misleading and factually incorrect, aimed at public confusion.