People’s rights being snatched away by replacing MGNREGA: Congress
The Congress on Wednesday claimed that people’s rights are being snatched away by replacing MGNREGA and said it is organising a dialogue on the issue in which workers from across the country would participate, bringing a fistful of soil from their work sites.
Congress general secretary in-charge communications, Jairam Ramesh, said a national conference organised by the ‘MGNREGA Bachao Morcha’ will be held on Thursday and it will be addressed by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi.
“Today, ahead of this conference, workers from across the country are arriving with soil from their respective workplaces,” Ramesh said on social media and shared video clips of workers collecting soil from their work sites.
Chairperson of Rachnatmak Congress, Sandeep Dikshit, said the BJP has replaced MGNREGA with a new Act — VB-G RAM G — with the Congress continuously opposing it. In many states and districts, the ‘MGNREGA Bachao Sangram’ is underway, he said.
“During the COVID period, the MGNREGA scheme became a lifeline for crores of people. MGNREGA had truly earned a place in people’s hearts. In this context, we held discussions with various organisations that have long been working for the rights of farmers and labourers,” Dikshit said at a press conference.
“One single point emerged consistently from all these conversations and discussions: people’s rights are being snatched away,” the Congress leader said.
He said workers from across the country are arriving on Thursday for a dialogue on MGNREGA.
“These are the people who have used the MGNREGA scheme in their villages to build roads, schools, panchayat buildings, ponds, and water harvesting plants. All these people have played an important role in nation-building through their hard work and with the support of MGNREGA,” Dikshit said.
Panchayats themselves decided and worked for their prosperity and development, and the Government stood with them, he said, alleging the Modi Government is “destroying” this entire process. A programme has been organised at Jawahar Bhawan in Delhi on Thursday morning, in which people associated with MGNREGA are coming from every corner of the country, Dikshit said.
“They will interact with us, share the story of their struggle and the strategy ahead,” he said. “The people coming to this programme will bring one fistful of soil each from their MGNREGA work site. After that, all these soils will be collected together and a collective message of struggle will be given,” Dikshit said.
