Cong to launch ‘Save MGNREGA’ drive, Rahul slams 'PMO-driven one-man show'

At the first Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting after the Bihar electoral setback, the party decided to put the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) at the centre of its political offensive, announcing a nationwide ‘Save MGNREGA’ campaign from 5 January 2026.

The Congress alleged that the decision to overhaul MGNREGA and change its name was taken directly by the Prime Minister’s Office without even consulting the concerned minister, reflecting what Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi described as a “one-man show” run by PM Narendra Modi.

Adopting a resolution, the nation's principal opposition party vowed to defend the rural employment law “under all circumstances”. Leaders present at the meeting took a collective pledge to protect the scheme, which was enacted in February 2006 during the first UPA government led by Dr Manmohan Singh.

“MGNREGA is not merely a welfare scheme; it is a statutory right to work rooted in the spirit of the Constitution,” the resolution said.

The party resolved to “unite and struggle for the dignity of rural labourers, their employment, wages and the right to timely payment”, while also safeguarding the powers of Gram Sabhas to demand employment.

Accusing the BJP government of attempting to convert a rights-based law into a discretionary charity programme, the Congress said it would “democratically oppose every conspiracy to erase Gandhiji’s name from MGNREGA and hollow out workers’ rights”.

The resolution added: “With faith in the Constitution and democracy, we resolve to save MGNREGA, save workers’ rights, and raise our voice in every village.”

During its recent winter session, Parliament passed legislation replacing MGNREGA with the Viksit Bharat — Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin): VB-G RAM G Bill, 2025, introducing “structural changes” to the programme.

Addressing the media after the meeting, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said MGNREGA draws its constitutional spirit from Article 41 of the Directive Principles of State Policy, which obligates the state to ensure the right to work, education and public assistance for its citizens.

"The Congress government empowered the people, but the Modi government is only focused on changing names. We will protect the rights of the poor and fight against this injustice," Kharge said.

Gandhi said the law was a rights-based framework that had provided employment to millions while strengthening the Panchayati Raj system by giving local bodies a decisive role in implementation and ensuring financial inclusion at the grassroots.

Calling the renaming and restructuring of the scheme an assault on both the rights-based character of MGNREGA and India’s federal structure, he alleged that the move was imposed unilaterally by the PMO. “Not even the minister was consulted. This is what happens when one person runs the country,” he said, accusing Modi of reducing the Cabinet to a rubber stamp.

"It is a devastating attack on the states and on the poor people of this country, carried out by the prime minister single-handedly. It is going to cause tremendous pain to the weaker sections, to Adivasis, to Dalits, to OBCs, to poor general castes, and to minorities. At the same time, it is going to benefit Mr Adani in full measure. That is the purpose of this exercise: to take money away from poor people and hand it to people like Mr. Adani," the Lok Sabha LoP added.