New Delhi, Dec 27: The Congress will launch a nationwide campaign against the repeal of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) from January 5, party president Mallikarjun Kharge said on Saturday, warning that the Narendra Modi government will face public anger over the move.
Addressing a press conference after a meeting of the Congress Working Committee (CWC), Kharge said the party would lead the “MGNREGA Bachao Abhiyan” across the country to oppose the new legislation passed during the recently concluded Winter Session of Parliament.
“MGNREGA is not just a scheme. It is the constitutional right to work,” Kharge said. “People are angry over its repeal, and the government will have to face the consequences.”
MGNREGA has been replaced by the VB-G RAM G Act, which provides for 125 days of wage employment for rural workers. The bill was passed amid strong protests by opposition parties.
Kharge said the CWC had resolved to make MGNREGA the central issue of the party’s political outreach. “We took an oath that the Congress will take the lead and launch this campaign from January 5,” he said.
He also criticised provisions related to cost-sharing between the Centre and states, saying the law places an additional financial burden on state governments without consultation.
“This law has been brought to crush the poor,” Kharge said. “We will oppose it on the streets and in Parliament.”
