The Congress party, joined by major Left factions, has launched a fierce nationwide agitation against the central government's move to repeal the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA). The political confrontation intensified on Sunday with coordinated protests at district headquarters across the country.
Nationwide Demonstrations and Political Accusations
The protests were a direct response to the government's recent parliamentary actions concerning the landmark rural jobs scheme. A day prior, on Saturday, Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi set the tone with a powerful video message. She accused the Narendra Modi-led government of "bulldozing" MGNREGA and vowed that lakhs of party workers would defy what she termed a "black law" aimed at its repeal.
Congress leaders have framed the government's actions as a systematic dismantling of the program. They argue that by capping funds, centralising control, and altering its demand-driven nature, the BJP has converted MGNREGA from a legal right into a discretionary favour. This, they claim, amounts to a "desecration" of the law in Parliament over the past week.
Leaders Condemn "Assault on Livelihood and Dignity"
Congress General Secretary (Organisation) KC Venugopal detailed the party's stance in a post on social media platform X. He stated that the nationwide protests were held in solidarity with "workers whose livelihoods and dignity are under attack." Venugopal emphasized that MGNREGA was designed as a legal right to work, not a welfare handout.
"By capping funds, centralising control and altering its demand-driven nature, BJP has turned this right into a budget-dependent scheme, pushing crores of rural families into insecurity and distress," Venugopal asserted. He also announced that the Congress Working Committee (CWC) will meet on December 27 to decide the future course of action against the government's move.
Echoing this sentiment, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge called MGNREGA "a lifeline for the poor." He accused the government of deliberately destroying the Act with the alleged intention of making "poor villagers and farm labourers slaves of the rich."
Opposition Unity and Upcoming Agitation
Adding weight to the protest movement, five major Left parties have announced a joint demonstration scheduled for Monday. The alliance includes the CPI(M), CPI, CPI(ML) Liberation, Revolutionary Socialist Party, and the All India Forward Bloc. This signals a broader opposition unity against the proposed changes to the rural employment guarantee scheme.
The political battle over MGNREGA has now moved from Parliament to the streets, setting the stage for a sustained confrontation. The outcome of the Congress Working Committee's meeting on December 27 is keenly awaited, as it will determine the scale and strategy of the opposition's campaign to protect the scheme they view as a critical social safety net for India's rural population.
