“The repeal of MGNREGA can be said to be an attack on the Constitutional Right to Work,” said the president of the Indian National Congress party, Mallikarjun Kharge, during the Congress Working Committee meeting in New Delhi. “The Special Intensive Revision of the electoral rolls can only be termed as a ‘well-planned conspiracy’ that seeks to undermine our democracy,” Kharge said in the meeting.
The Congress on Saturday decided that it would begin a countrywide campaign called ‘MGNREGA Bachao Abhiyan’ beginning from January 5 in protest against the scrapping of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, also known as MGNREGA.
Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge warned that the anger among the masses against this is increasing, and the Narendra Modi-led government would have to bear the results of trashing a historic social welfare legislation.
Addressing a press meet at a ceremony of the working committee meeting in New Delhi, Mr. Kharge said, “MGNREGA is not a government program. It is a right to work, which is guaranteed in the Constitution. People are agitated over the scrapping of MGNREGA. This government has attacked the livelihood of poor people in rural areas, and they will suffer for it.”This comes after the enactment of the VB-G RAM G Act, which seems to replace MGNREGA, which was already close to 20 years old.
The Bill was cleared during the recently concluded Winter Session of Parliament amidst strong protests by Opposition parties. Though the new legislation offers 125 days of wage employment to rural workers, Congress claims that it reduces the Legal Guarantee concerning this matter, thereby placing financial burdens on State Governments.“In the CWC meeting, we all took a pledge as to how we will initiate a national people’s movement with MGNREGA as the nidus.
The Congress will initiate a launch called ‘MGNREGA Bachao Abhiyan’ from January 5,” said Mr. Kharge. Criticizing the cost-sharing provisions in the new Act, Congress Party President said that the Centre has thrust additional expenditure burdens on the State governments without any consultations. “This law has been brought to crush the poor. We will fight against it both in the streets and in Parliament,” Congress President said.Mr. Kharge explained that MGNREGA was a highly visionary law introduced by the United Progressive Alliance government, which received worldwide acclaim for enhancing rural livelihood. It was given this name because of its highly transformative effect brought about in rural employment and the dignity of labor.
The Member of Parliament continued, “Repealing MGNREGA is an insult to Mahatma Gandhi as well as an attack on Right to Work.”Blaming the Modi government for not following due procedure, Mr. Kharge said: “The repeal of such an important piece of legislation involving crores of farmers without any kind of assessment or consultation with the States or political parties is not proper.
Also Read : VB – G RAM G Bill 2025 Explained : Transformative Reform in MGNREGA
It is to be protested throughout the country.”Comparing the situation to previous instances of U-turns in policies, Mr. Kharge said, “The changes in the land acquisition act in 2015 and the three contentious farmer laws are examples of this. These laws could be repealed only after the long farmers’ agitation. Rahul Gandhi has said that he foresaw that it is necessary to withdraw the farmer laws. Now he has said that MGNREGA will also have to be reinstated. It is now clear that people are now awaiting Congress in this ‘difficult situation’ being faced by our nation.”
In the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, SIR, a Congress party member, Mr. Kharge, stated that: “This is an important exercise, and we want voters’ names to be protected and included in the voters’ list. The SIR exercise is a well-planned conspiracy to reduce democratic rights.” He added that there was collusion between the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Election Commission and that voters’ names, especially Dalits, tribals, extremely Backward Classes, and minority communities, could be removed or transferred.
Mr. Kharge also directed party workers to strengthen their organiSational work in states that are due to go to polls in 2027. Moreover, the Congress President was critical of attacks on the Hindu minorities in Bangladesh and stated that the recent incidents had resulted in concerns raised across the nation.
Furthermore, he rejected incidents related to Christmas Day, as he alleged the involvement of organizations associated with the BJP and the RSS.‘
