Congress Launches Vigorous Campaign to Protect MGNREGA in Uttar Pradesh
In a significant political development in Lucknow, AICC general secretary and Uttar Pradesh in-charge Avinash Pande launched a scathing attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government, accusing it of systematically weakening the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA). Addressing a state-level Constitution dialogue and MGNREGA bachao sangram at the UP Congress headquarters on Monday, Pande asserted that only Congress workers are genuinely fighting for people's rights on the ground.
Congress Intensifies Struggle to Preserve Employment Guarantee Law
The program, which marked the 20th anniversary of MGNREGA, was organized as part of a nationwide campaign to defend this landmark legislation. Congress leaders present at the event alleged that the Central government is deliberately diluting the law and undermining the fundamental rights of workers. The gathering witnessed participation from a diverse group including party workers, numerous NGOs, civil society organizations, and representatives from various tribal communities across Uttar Pradesh.
Recalling the historical origins of MGNREGA, Pande emphasized that the law was enacted under the visionary leadership of Sonia Gandhi and former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. "This legislation was designed to strengthen the rural economy and empower landless farmers and laborers," he stated. Pande highlighted that the Act granted workers the crucial right to decide when and how much work they would undertake, making it a unique empowerment tool.
Allegations of Systematic Dilution and Anti-Worker Mindset
Pande further elaborated that MGNREGA had evolved into a global model for employment guarantee schemes and proved its immense relevance during the challenging Covid-19 pandemic. He alleged that the BJP's attempts to dismantle the law reflect what he called the saffron party's anti-farmer and anti-labour mindset. Presiding over the program, UP Congress president Ajay Rai announced that the MGNREGA bachao sangram is being carried out across the country under the leadership of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, and AICC general secretary Priyanka Gandhi.
Rai made a firm declaration: "We will accept nothing less than the Act in its original spirit." He contrasted the Congress's approach, which enacted MGNREGA as a statutory right, with the current government's actions, which he claimed are reducing it to a mere scheme. This shift, according to Rai, is depriving workers of their legally guaranteed entitlements and protections.
Budget Criticism and Broad-Based Participation
Referring to the recently presented Union Budget, Rai criticized it for failing to offer any concrete measures to strengthen farmers, landless laborers, or the rural economy. The event saw addresses from several prominent Congress functionaries including national secretaries and UP in-charges Dheeraj Gurjar, Satyanarayan Patel, Neelanshu Chaturvedi, and Tauqeer Alam. Notable attendees included MLA Virendra Chaudhary and former MLA Louis Khurshid.
The program featured participation from a wide spectrum of NGOs and social organizations, along with representatives from the Sahariya, Gond, and Kol tribal communities. Ambika Prasad Mishra, national president of the MGNREGA Mazdoor Union, was also present, underscoring the labor-focused nature of the gathering. The event concluded with a resolute call to intensify the campaign to protect the employment guarantee law, signaling the Congress party's commitment to this issue.
