Congress President Calls for National Campaign Against MGNREGA Repeal

Congress President Urges Action Against MGNREGA Repeal

Mallikarjun Kharge, the President of Congress, has called for a robust national campaign opposing the repeal of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA). This act was a significant legislation from the UPA government aimed at providing rural employment. Kharge drew parallels between this situation and previous government actions, such as the repeal of agricultural laws following public outcry.

Addressing the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting, Kharge condemned the attacks on Hindu minorities in Bangladesh, expressing that this issue has raised concerns across India. He urged Congress leaders to prepare for the upcoming assembly elections and described the Special Intensive Review (SIR) as a deliberate plot to limit democratic rights, emphasizing the need to ensure that Congress voters' names are not removed. He stated, 'We have gathered today to strategize at a time when democracy, the constitution, and citizens' rights are under serious threat.'

Kharge accused the Modi government of dismantling MGNREGA during the recent winter session of Parliament, leaving millions of poor and marginalized individuals vulnerable. He criticized the government for its harsh treatment of the impoverished, claiming that it has launched a calculated attack on the right to work. According to him, the Modi administration prioritizes the profits of a few wealthy capitalists over the welfare of the poor. He noted that MGNREGA was a visionary initiative by the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government, recognized globally.

The senior leader remarked that this program transformed rural India, becoming the largest rural employment scheme in the world. It helped curb migration and liberated villages from drought, hunger, and exploitation. The initiative instilled confidence among Dalits, tribals, women, and landless laborers that the government stands with them in the fight against poverty. Kharge asserted that the Modi government has imposed a new law without any study or consultation with states or political parties, likening this action to the manner in which the three controversial agricultural laws were enacted.