Congress Chairperson and former party president Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday accused the Modi-led central government of systematically weakening the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA), calling recent changes to the scheme a direct attack on the poor, unemployed and marginalised. In a video message released as part of the Congress party’s “Save MNREGA” campaign, Gandhi recalled that the landmark employment guarantee law was unanimously passed by Parliament 20 years ago during the tenure of former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh. She described MNREGA as a revolutionary step that provided rural households a legal right to employment, reduced distress migration and strengthened the rural economy by supporting millions of poor families.
Sonia Gandhi Slams MNREGA Dilution
Gandhi alleged that over the past 11 years, the Modi government has ignored the interests of the poor and diluted the spirit of MNREGA. “Not only was Mahatma Gandhi’s name removed from the law, but the scheme itself was bulldozed. Arbitrary changes were made without consulting the opposition,” she said, adding that decisions on employment allocation are now taken in Delhi, far removed from ground realities. The Congress leader said the weakening of MNREGA amounted to an attack on landless farmers, rural workers and the deprived, stressing that the law was never a party issue but one of national importance. “Twenty years ago, I fought for the right to employment for my poor brothers and sisters. Today, I am committed to fighting against this black law,” she said.
The video marks the launch of the Congress party’s 45-day nationwide “Save MNREGA” campaign, running from January 10 to February 25. The campaign will include peaceful protests, assembly gheraos, panchayat-level awareness drives and a “Demand for Work” movement. The party has also alleged that the Centre is attempting to replace MNREGA with a new rural employment framework that weakens guaranteed work provisions.
