There is a lot of anger among the opposition parties regarding MGNREGA, and the Congress party is continuously targeting the government. The Congress has also led protests from the streets to the Parliament, and now, in the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting, Congress National President Mallikarjun Kharge has made serious allegations against the Modi government of undermining democracy, the Constitution and civil rights. He said that the country is currently going through a phase where democratic values are under threat from all sides, and Congress will have to formulate its future strategy amidst this challenge.
The government left the poor destitute
Kharge alleged that in the recently concluded winter session of Parliament, the Modi government scrapped MGNREGA, leaving lakhs of poor and vulnerable sections of the society destitute. He said that this step is like kicking the poor in the stomach and stabbing them in the back. The Congress president called it an insult to Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi, and also referred to an article by Sonia Gandhi in which she had called MGNREGA a step towards realizing the spirit of Sarvodaya (upliftment of all).
Better life because of MGNREGA
The Congress President said that Sonia Gandhi and Dr. Manmohan Singh had launched the MGNREGA scheme on February 2, 2006 in Bandlapalli, Andhra Pradesh. The scheme became the world’s largest rural employment programme, changing the face of rural India, preventing migration, and providing relief to villages from famine, hunger and exploitation. This scheme gave respect and confidence to Dalits, tribals, women and landless labourers. He said that today there is an entire generation in India which has come out of poverty and is living a respectable life because of MGNREGA.
nationwide movement
Kharge alleged that the Modi government scrapped MGNREGA and imposed a new law without any study, evaluation or consultation with states and political parties, just like it did in the case of the three contentious farm laws. He said that there is a need for a nationwide movement against it, and Congress will have to fight on this issue in every corner of the country. Referring to the Land Acquisition Act of 2015 and the three agricultural laws of 2020, he said that the government was forced to withdraw the laws only after the struggles of the Congress Party and the sacrifices of the farmers. Kharge said that Rahul Gandhi had already predicted that the Modi government would have to restart MNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act).
Concern expressed over removal of name from voter list
Speaking on organizational issues, Kharge said that under the Sangathan Nirman Abhiyan, new district presidents have been appointed in around 500 districts so far, and in the remaining districts the process will be completed in the next 120 days. He said that there is a need to make the organization active, accountable and militant from state to booth level. He also said that preparations are being made with complete unity for the elections to be held in Assam, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry, which are scheduled to be held in April-May 2026. Terming the National Register of Citizens (NRC) as a conspiracy to limit democratic rights, Kharge expressed concern over the deletion of names of the poor, Dalits, tribals, backward classes and minority communities from the voter list.
Criticism of Election Commission
He further said that the allegations of collusion between the BJP and the Election Commission are well known, and the Congress will have to ensure that the names of voters are not removed. For this, Booth Level Agent (BLA) will have to go door-to-door to verify the voter list. In his address, Kharge also expressed concern over the alleged misuse of ED, IT and CBI, the National Herald case, attacks on Hindu minorities in Bangladesh and recent incidents of deterioration of communal harmony in some areas during Christmas. Appealing to the party leaders to give concrete action plans and suggestions on MNREGA and other important issues, Kharge said that Congress will win this battle because the weak and needy people of the country are looking towards Congress with hope in these difficult times.
