UP Congress Launches Statewide Protest March to Protect Rural Job Guarantee Scheme
The Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee (UPCC) on Friday organized a comprehensive statewide protest march, titled "MNREGA Bachao Padyatra", across all districts of the state. The political action directly accused both the Central Government and the Uttar Pradesh state government of systematically "weakening" the foundational framework of the rural job guarantee program.
Demand for Restoration of Original Scheme Framework
The primary demand of the agitation is the complete restoration of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) "in its original form". The march was organized at the explicit call of the All-India Congress Committee (AICC), positioning it as a critical component of a broader, nationwide agitation aimed at safeguarding the economic and social rights of rural workers who depend on the scheme for livelihood security.
Lucknow March Led by State Party President
In the state capital, Lucknow, the protest yatra was personally led by UPCC President Ajay Rai. The march commenced at the historic Kakori Shaheed Smarak, where party leaders first paid solemn tributes to the martyrs. The procession then proceeded along a significant route:
- Hardoi Road
- Durgaganj crossing
- Kakori town
- Several villages en route
The march ultimately concluded at the Bhaliya crossing, symbolizing a journey through both urban and rural landscapes to highlight the scheme's widespread importance.
Commitment to Rural Workers' Rights
Addressing participants and the media, Ajay Rai emphasized the party's unwavering commitment. "The party is committed to fighting for the economic and social rights of rural labourers," he stated firmly. Rai invoked senior national leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, asserting that the Indian National Congress would persist in its struggle to protect the livelihood security of millions of workers dependent on MGNREGA.
Statewide Participation Ensured by Leadership
Confirming the scale of the protest, Manish Srivastava Hindvi, Vice-Chairman of the media department for the state Congress unit, reported that similar marches were held simultaneously in all districts across Uttar Pradesh. He noted that senior party functionaries were actively deployed to ensure "wide participation" from party workers, supporters, and affected communities, demonstrating a coordinated statewide effort against the perceived dilution of the job guarantee act.
The MNREGA Bachao Padyatra represents a significant political mobilization by the Congress party in Uttar Pradesh, directly challenging government policies on rural employment and positioning the party as the primary defender of the scheme's original intent and provisions.
