In a significant move, the Indian National Congress has constituted a high-powered coordination committee to spearhead its upcoming nationwide agitation to protect the rural employment guarantee scheme. The party has announced a 45-day 'MGNREGA Bachao Sangram' (Save MGNREGA Struggle) starting from January 10.
High-Level Committee Formed for Protest Oversight
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge has set up the committee with immediate effect to oversee, guide, and monitor the implementation of the agitation. The communication regarding the formation was made by AICC general secretary (organisation) K C Venugopal.
The committee will be convened by the party's treasurer, Ajay Maken. It features several senior leaders as its core members. Prominently, Telangana's Panchayat Raj Minister D Anasuya, popularly known as Seethakka, has been appointed as a core member. This inclusion highlights the importance of the state in the upcoming protest.
Broad-Based Committee Composition
The committee boasts a wide representation to ensure a coordinated effort. Other senior leaders named as members include Jairam Ramesh, Sandeep Dikshit, Udit Raj, Priyank Kharge, Deepika Pandey Singh, Sunil Panwar, and Manish Sharma.
In a move to integrate all party wings, the heads of all frontal organizations will also be members. Additionally, the chairpersons of the AICC's OBC, SC, Minority, Adivasi departments, and the Kisan Congress will join the committee, ensuring the protest addresses concerns across various communities.
Telangana Assembly Backs the Cause
The Congress's agitation finds strong backing in Telangana, where the state legislative assembly recently passed a resolution on the issue. On Friday, amid opposition from BJP members, the Telangana assembly passed a resolution opposing the Central government's move to replace the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) with the VB G-RAM-G Act.
The state assembly demanded that the original MGNREGA legislation be continued, aligning directly with the national party's protest agenda. This state-level action adds significant political weight to the upcoming nationwide campaign.
The Core Demand of the Agitation
The primary objective of the 'MGNREGA Bachao Sangram', scheduled to run from January 10 to February 25, is twofold. The party is demanding the complete withdrawal of the VB G-RAM-G Act and the restoration and continuation of the original Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).
The Congress alleges that the new act undermines the rights and guarantees provided to rural workers under the flagship UPA-era scheme. The 45-day protest is designed to mobilize public opinion and pressure the central government to reverse its decision.
The formation of this committee, with its diverse and high-profile membership, signals the Congress's serious intent to make the MGNREGA protest a major national issue in the coming weeks. The involvement of leaders like Seethakka from a southern state also points to a strategy of building a pan-India narrative against the policy change.
