The Congress will launch the ‘Save MGNREGA Movement’ in Assam from January 10 as part of a nationwide agitation against the alleged dilution of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA). The party has asserted that it will continue its protests until the newly introduced Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Aajeevika Mission Gramin Act (VB–G RAM G) is withdrawn.
Addressing a press conference at Rajiv Bhavan here on Wednesday, All India Congress Committee (AICC) General Secretary in charge of Assam, Manoj Chauhan, accused the BJP-led NDA government of undermining the livelihoods of crores of rural workers by renaming and replacing MGNREGA with the new law in December last year.
Chauhan alleged that the VB–G RAM G Act has effectively removed the guaranteed employment provision that existed under MGNREGA and amounts to an attempt to snatch away workers’ constitutional rights. He said the Congress has intensified its agitation across the country against what it termed an anti-worker move.
Announcing the protest schedule in Assam, Chauhan said the movement will begin on January 10 with press conferences at district headquarters. District Congress presidents, along with Assam Pradesh Congress Committee observers, will brief the media on what the party claims is the government’s betrayal of workers.
As part of the programme, a day-long statewide dharna will be held across Assam on January 11. This will be followed by protest meetings in every gram panchayat of the state from January 12 to January 29, with participation from Congress workers as well as MGNREGA labourers. Another day-long dharna is scheduled on January 30, observed as Martyrs’ Day, marking the death anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.
Chauhan said the NDA government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi has repeatedly attempted to impose what he described as “black laws” without considering the hardships of common people, but such moves have been resisted by the public. He asserted that the Congress would not relent until MGNREGA is restored and the VB–G RAM G Act is withdrawn.
Referring to past agitations, Chauhan said Rahul Gandhi had earlier played a key role in opposing amendments to the Land Acquisition Act and the three farm laws. He added that Rahul Gandhi is now equally determined to restore MGNREGA and ensure workers regain their entitlements.
Calling MGNREGA the lifeline of rural workers for the past two decades, Chauhan warned that under the new system the Centre would decide which panchayats receive work and determine wages arbitrarily, thereby curtailing workers’ rights. He also alleged that dismantling MGNREGA would financially weaken state governments and empower contractors at the cost of gram panchayats.
Appealing to workers and people from all sections of society, Chauhan urged them to join the Congress-led movement to protect MGNREGA in its original form and uphold Mahatma Gandhi’s vision of Gram Swaraj.
The press conference was attended by Dhubri Lok Sabha MP Rakibul Hussain, former Rajya Sabha MP Ripun Bora, MLA Abdur Rahim Ahmed, and Assam Pradesh Congress Media Department Chairman Bedabrat Bora.
