Congress leaders at the CWC meet
NEW DELHI: Calling “decimation of MGNREGA” a one-man decision of PM Modi like demonetisation, Congress brass of Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi announced a nationwide campaign from January 5 to force the government to restore the job guarantee scheme.They argued the disbanding of the job scheme will devastate the rural economy, seriously hurt the SC/ST/OBC/women/minorities/poor, burden the states, and divert the money to billionaires like Adani.The announcement came after a marathon meeting of Congress Working Committee that discussed the Modi government’s contentious replacement of MGNREGA with VB-GRAMG.After discussing the issue over three hours, the CWC members read out a five-point pledge that Congress “vows to lead a MGNREGA Bachao Abhiyan from January 5, 2026… to oppose by all democratic means possible the attempt to convert the rights of the workers to a government dole”.Following up on the elaborate brainstorming, Congress fielded its top duo of Kharge and Rahul to brief the press in a bid to send out a message of intent that would resonate beyond the party circles. Rahul expressed confidence that entire opposition will be united in the future course of action to seek restoration of MGNREGA.“Those dependent on MGNREGA are angry. That anger will cost this govt heavily. Remember, the government had to take back the three farm laws after the way the farmers and the opposition fought against them,” Kharge warned.Rahul said MGNREGA was “destroyed singlehandedly by the PM” without studying the matter. “I am told the PMO took this decision, even the minister and the Cabinet were not asked,” he alleged, calling the move as reflective of “one man show” of present times in which “Modi does whatever he wants to do”.“It will benefit Adani in full measure. That is the purpose of this – to take money from the poor and hand it to people like Adani,” he said.CWC also discussed SIR, and Kharge spoke about the nexus between the BJP and the EC. It was said that party units and BLAs should take care that the votes of marginalised communities are not deleted.Kharge mocked the Modi government’s claims to have made India the fourth largest economy, in which Adani, Ambani can take unlimited money as bank loans, but govt could not bear 30% of the MGNREGA budget that has now been shifted to the states under the new law. He said the extra financial burden will stall development work in states.
