Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, on Thursday alleged that the Modi government is trying to dilute and eventually repeal the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), and said its approach is similar to the way the Centre had introduced the “three farm laws”.
Addressing the National MGNREGA Workers’ Convention, organised by the party’s frontal organisation Rachnatmak Congress, Gandhi said MGNREGA was introduced to ensure the right to work for the rural poor.
“MGNREGA was built on the idea of rights — that anyone who needs work must get work. It was designed to function through the third tier of governance, the Panchayati Raj system,” he said.
‘Like farm laws, poor must unite’
Gandhi claimed the government had earlier introduced the three farm laws, which were later repealed after farmers united and pressed for withdrawal.
“They are doing the same thing with workers now as they did with farmers,” he said, urging poor people across the country to unite against the proposed changes.
Concerns over fund allocation
The Congress leader alleged that under the proposed Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) Act, the Centre would gain greater control over work selection and fund allocation.
He claimed that BJP-ruled states would get preference, while contractors and bureaucracy would benefit more than workers.
‘Assets in few hands’
Gandhi further alleged that the model being promoted would concentrate assets in the hands of a few, making the poor dependent on big corporate houses.
Symbolic gesture by workers
Workers from different parts of the country participated in the convention and brought a fistful of soil from their work sites. The soil was later used to plant saplings in a symbolic gesture in the presence of Gandhi and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge.
Congress launches campaign
The Congress has launched a 45-day nationwide campaign titled ‘MGNREGA Bachao Sangram’ from January 10, demanding the withdrawal of the VB-G RAM G Act and restoration of MGNREGA in its original rights-based form, including the authority of panchayats and the right to work.
