Congress to launch nationwide protest against repeal of MGNREGA from Jan 5

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday (December 27) announced that the party will launch a campaign against the repeal of MGNREGA on January 5, warning that people are angry and the Modi government will have to face the consequences for the move.

The decision follows deliberations in the party’s apex body on opposing what it terms the “scrapping” of MGNREGA and the dilution of rural employment rights.

Also read | Sonia Gandhi slams VB-G RAM G Bill, says Centre bulldozed MGNREGA

Addressing a press conference after the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting in Delhi, Kharge said, “In the CWC meeting, we have taken a resolution to launch MGNREGA Bachao Abhiyan from January 5, 2026.” MGNREGA is not just a scheme but the ‘Right to Work’ granted by the Constitution, said Kharge at the press conference, adding that it was revoked to oppress the poor.

Right to work under threat

Kharge accused the government of conspiring to dilute and dismantle the programme, including by dropping Mahatma Gandhi’s name and replacing it with what he described as the “Viksit Bharat G-RAM-G” framework. He said the Congress would fight democratically to protect employment and livelihoods in rural India.

Highlighting the role of MGNREGA during the COVID-19 pandemic, Kharge said the scheme had supported migrant workers and prevented distress migration from rural areas. “The government has snatched the right to work from scores of underprivileged people,” he alleged, questioning how a country claiming to be the world’s fourth-largest economy could deny jobs to the poor while allowing wealthy defaulters to escape after defrauding public sector banks.

Referring to the cost-sharing clause between the Centre and state governments under the VB-G RAM G Act, the Congress chief said states will have an additional expenditure burden and termed it a one-sided decision taken without consultation. “This law has been brought to crush the poor; we will fight against it on the streets and in Parliament,” he said.

Rahul alleges attack on federalism

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who also addressed the press conference, said MGNREGA was a globally recognised, rights-based development model that ensured minimum wages and strengthened grassroots democracy. He said, “Repeal of MGNREGA is an attack on rights-based approach, federal structure. MGNREGA was not just a work programme, it was development framework appreciated around the world.”

“This is not just an attack on a scheme but on the federal structure itself,” Rahul said, alleging that financial powers were being centralised and states were being burdened without consultation. He accused the prime minister of taking unilateral decisions without involving stakeholders or obtaining Cabinet approval.

Targets Modi’s ‘one-man show’

Calling the move a “one-man show,” Rahul alleged that the new framework would benefit crony capitalists while devastating the rural economy. PM Modi single-handedly destroyed MGNREGA without asking his Cabinet, and without studying the matter, alleged Rahul “It’s a devastating attack on states, poor people, carried out by the prime minister single-handedly.”

Also read | MGNREGA renaming row: Why dropping Gandhi is more than a name change

“This will lead to the decimation of Indian labour and cause tremendous pain to the poorest sections of society, much like demonetisation,” he said. He further alleged that the dismantling of MGNREGA would weaken Panchayati Raj institutions, which had gained decision-making powers and financial autonomy through the scheme.

“This is a direct attack on democratic structures and the poor,” he said, claiming that the changes would ultimately benefit large corporate interests. The Congress leaders warned that the proposed changes would lead to the collapse of rural employment support systems and vowed to intensify their agitation in the coming weeks.