The Congress party in Uttarakhand has declared a major statewide agitation against the central government's recent modifications to the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA). The party's leadership alleges that the changes, which include renaming the flagship rural jobs scheme, will undermine its original purpose and harm farmers while benefiting industrialists.
Structured Agitation: From Chaupals to Vidhan Sabha March
Outlining a detailed plan of action, the party's state in-charge, Kumari Selja, announced a series of protests spanning over a month. The campaign is set to commence on January 10 with press conferences in all districts of the state. This will be immediately followed by a symbolic daylong fast at the district level on January 11.
The core of the outreach will involve direct engagement with rural communities. From January 11 to 29, the party will organise village-level chaupals (public gatherings) at the panchayat level. These meetings will be preceded by block and district-level assemblies to mobilise party workers.
Letters from Kharge & Gandhi, Escalating Demonstrations
During these grassroots interactions, Congress workers will distribute letters penned by party president Mallikarjun Kharge and opposition leader Rahul Gandhi to village heads. These letters aim to highlight the party's deep concerns regarding the overhaul of the scheme.
The protest is designed to escalate in phases. Following the chaupals, ward-level protests are scheduled for January 30. The momentum will then build with demonstrations at all district headquarters from January 31 to February 6. The crescendo of the agitation will be a significant protest near the Vidhan Sabha from February 7 to 15.
Congress Alleges Betrayal of MNREGA's Core Principle
Kumari Selja vehemently criticised the nature of the changes, stating they extend far beyond a simple renaming exercise. She reminded that MNREGA was launched during the UPA government and was implemented nationwide with a specific vision. "MNREGA was introduced to empower villages by allowing local communities to decide on development works," Selja asserted. "However, the changes are aimed at benefiting industrialists and will create difficulties for farmers."
The party's statewide campaign, beginning January 10, is fundamentally an awareness drive to inform rural populations about the potential adverse impact of these policy shifts on their livelihood and community-led development.
