New Delhi, Dec 27: Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday announced that the party will begin a nationwide campaign from January 5 against the repeal of MGNREGA, accusing the Modi government of undermining the rights of rural workers.
The decision was taken at a meeting of the Congress Working Committee, held after Parliament passed the VB-G RAM G Act to replace the two-decade-old rural employment law.
“MGNREGA was the right to work guaranteed to the people,” Kharge said at a press conference. “This right has been taken away, and people are angry.”
Under the new law, rural households are entitled to 125 days of wage employment. However, Kharge said the legislation was pushed through without consensus and ignored the concerns of states.
“The Centre has imposed an additional financial burden on states by changing the cost-sharing formula,” he said, calling the decision unilateral.
Kharge said the Congress would lead protests both inside and outside Parliament. “This law has been framed against the poor,” he said. “We will fight it politically and on the streets.”
The party plans to mobilise workers, farmers and state units as part of the campaign, leaders said.
