Chandigarh, January 5, 2025: The Congress on Sunday launched its nationwide “Save MGNREGA Struggle” campaign from the Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee headquarters, mounting a sharp attack on the BJP-led Centre for what it termed sustained attempts to weaken the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act.
Addressing a press conference, AICC general secretary and Haryana in-charge B. K. Hariprasad said MGNREGA, enacted by the UPA government in 2005, guarantees every rural household the legal right to at least 100 days of employment annually and remains a lifeline for the poor. He asserted that the Congress would not allow any dilution of the scheme’s original intent and announced that protests would be organised at every level as per the party leadership’s directions.
Haryana Congress president Rao Narendra Singh alleged that the Centre has been trying for the past five to six years to systematically weaken MGNREGA. He said the national campaign aims to protect rural employment and make people aware of their rights under the Act. Emphasising the scheme’s wider impact, Singh said MGNREGA is not merely a source of wages but a powerful instrument to strengthen the rural economy and improve the living standards of the poor and deprived sections.
Outlining the programme of the agitation, he said preparatory meetings would be held at the PCC level, followed by district-level press conferences, one-day fasts, symbolic protests and mobilisation at the panchayat level. Peaceful sit-ins at the ward level, district-level protests, a state-level gherao of the Vidhan Sabha and regional rallies will follow as part of the campaign, he added.
Former chief minister and Leader of the Opposition Bhupinder Singh Hooda said cuts in funding, delays in wage payments, reduced workdays and arbitrary restrictions have hit the poor, Dalits, tribals and women the hardest. Citing official data, he said over 60 per cent of MGNREGA wage payments are delayed and warned that such trends could have serious consequences in the coming period.
Senior Congress leader Randeep Surjewala accused the BJP government of being anti-poor and attempting to “snatch food from the plates” of rural households by altering the original structure of MGNREGA. He said the Congress had designed the scheme to strengthen the rural economy and provide employment close to home, especially for women, but alleged that the BJP could not tolerate the poor earning even a basic livelihood. He asserted that the Congress is ready to launch large-scale movements to protect the scheme.
MP Deepender Singh Hooda said efforts to dismantle MGNREGA reflect the BJP’s authoritarian approach. He argued that the issue is not just about changing the name of the scheme but about altering its structure to take away the rights of the needy, an attempt he said would fail.
During the interaction, Congress leaders also discussed preparations for upcoming municipal corporation elections in Haryana. Rao Narendra Singh said the party is fully prepared for the local body polls and will approach voters with a constructive agenda, expressing confidence of victory.
A large number of senior leaders, MPs, MLAs and party workers were present at the press conference, underlining the Congress’ intent to escalate its agitation against any changes to MGNREGA.
