The Chandigarh unit of the Indian National Congress held a significant demonstration on Sunday, voicing strong opposition to the central government's handling of a key rural employment scheme. The protest, staged at Labour Chowk in Sector 44, centered on accusations that the Narendra Modi-led administration is diluting the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) and has removed Mahatma Gandhi's name from the program.
Congress Alleges Systematic Weakening of MGNREGA
Leading the protest, Chandigarh Congress President HS Lucky addressed the gathering, outlining the party's core grievances. He emphasized that MGNREGA was originally designed as a rights-based initiative, empowering rural communities by guaranteeing 100 days of wage employment on demand. Lucky stated that the scheme previously obligated the government to provide jobs whenever requested by an individual, village panchayat, or rural institution, a mechanism he credited with strengthening India's rural economy.
Lucky launched a sharp critique against the current BJP government, alleging a fundamental shift in the scheme's operation. He claimed the model has been changed from demand-driven to supply-driven, which places discretion over fund allocation with the central government and, in his view, undermines the legal rights of the people. A major point of contention highlighted was the reported increase in the financial contribution required from state governments, from 10% to 40%. Lucky warned that this would place an unbearable burden on resource-strapped states, potentially leading to the virtual dismantling of the employment guarantee program and devastating the rural economy.
Multiparty Political Drama Unfolds in Chandigarh
The political activity in the city was not limited to the Congress protest. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) also held a press conference, training its guns on the BJP. The AAP's Chandigarh unit criticized the local BJP leadership for maintaining silence over allegations that municipal garbage from the city was being dumped in neighboring Punjab. Party leaders pointed out that no BJP figure had condemned the act or demanded action even 48 hours after the incident came to light. They appealed to the Chandigarh Administrator and Punjab Governor, Gulab Chand Kataria, to ensure strict action against those responsible.
In a separate development, the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) expressed serious concern over the arrest of the sister-in-law of Municipal Ward 4 Councillor, Suman Devi. The party framed the arrest as an act of political vendetta by the ruling AAP government in Punjab. SAD officials argued that the timing and manner of the arrest indicated a blatant misuse of state machinery to intimidate political opponents, calling it a violation of established democratic norms.
Resolution and Continued Opposition
Amidst these allegations, the Chandigarh Congress passed a resolution during their protest, vowing to continue its struggle. The party is committed to exposing what it labels as the BJP government's anti-poor and anti-farmer policies. The core demand remains the restoration of MGNREGA to its original form and spirit, ensuring it functions as a robust safety net for rural employment as originally legislated. The simultaneous criticisms from AAP and SAD highlight a charged political atmosphere in the region, with multiple parties leveraging different issues to challenge their rivals.
