Sonia Gandhi Criticizes Modi Government's Approach to MGNREGA

Sonia Gandhi has accused the Modi government of systematically dismantling the MGNREGA, labeling it a strategy of 'death by a thousand cuts.' She emphasizes that this potential end to the program, which embodies Mahatma Gandhi's vision of welfare, represents a collective moral failure. In her critique, she highlights the need for unity to protect the rights that ensure safety for all, warning of severe financial and humanitarian consequences for millions of workers in India. Gandhi's statements reflect deep concerns over the government's approach to social security and employment rights.

By Narendra Chaudhary Dec 22, 2025, 10:25 IST

Sonia Gandhi's Allegations Against the Modi Administration

Sonia Gandhi, the leader of the Congress parliamentary party, accused the Modi government on Monday of attempting to dismantle the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) through a strategy she described as 'death by a thousand cuts.' She emphasized that the potential end of this initiative, which embodies Mahatma Gandhi's vision of welfare for all, represents a collective moral failure.

In an article for an English daily, she stated that it is crucial to unite in order to protect the rights that ensure everyone's safety.

On Sunday, President Droupadi Murmu approved the 'Developed India - Ji Ram Ji Bill,' which has now become an act, with a notification published in the official gazette. This bill was passed by Parliament the previous Thursday.

Sonia Gandhi noted in her article that the Modi government has been making moves to undermine MGNREGA without proper discussion, consultation, or respect for parliamentary procedures and the center-state relationship.

The removal of Mahatma Gandhi's name from the scheme is just one example of this effort. The entire structure that was essential for the program's effectiveness has been completely dismantled. She reminded readers that MGNREGA has been the world's largest social security initiative and one of the most studied and evaluated programs, highlighting its transformative effects on the most vulnerable sections of society.

She also claimed that the financial situation of states, already under severe pressure, will deteriorate further. The former Congress president pointed out that in addition to eliminating the demand-driven nature of the program, the Modi government has also dismantled its decentralized structure. She accused the government of misleadingly claiming to have increased the employment guarantee from 100 days to 125 days under MGNREGA.

According to her, the Modi government's intentions can be clearly understood from its decade-long record of systematically undermining MGNREGA, starting with the Prime Minister mocking the scheme in Parliament and continuing with a strategy aimed at its gradual elimination—through stagnant budgets, exclusionary technologies, and delays in payments to workers.

Sonia Gandhi stated, 'The destruction of the right to work should not be viewed in isolation but as part of a broader assault by the ruling establishment on the Constitution and its rights-based framework.' She asserted that even the fundamental right to vote is now facing unprecedented attacks.

The Congress leader reiterated that MGNREGA has realized Mahatma Gandhi's vision of welfare and implemented the constitutional right to work.

Its potential termination signifies our collective moral failure, which will have financial and humanitarian repercussions for millions of hardworking individuals in India for years to come. Sonia Gandhi stressed the urgent need for unity to protect the rights that safeguard us all. In a video message released last Saturday, she accused the Modi government of bulldozing MGNREGA, attacking the interests of millions of farmers, laborers, and the impoverished landless rural population.