People’s rights being snatched away by replacing MGNREGA: Congress
Sandeep Dikshit claims BJP has replaced MGNREGA with a new law — referred to as VB-G RAM G — a move Congress has been consistently opposing
The Congress on Wednesday accused the BJP-led government of undermining people’s rights by dismantling the MGNREGA framework, announcing a nationwide dialogue that will symbolically bring workers and their voices to the national capital.
Addressing a press conference, Rachnatmak Congress chairperson Sandeep Dikshit claimed the BJP has replaced MGNREGA with a new law — referred to as VB-G RAM G — a move the Congress has been consistently opposing. He said protest campaigns under the banner “MGNREGA Bachao Sangram” are already underway in several states and districts.
Dikshit underscored the critical role played by MGNREGA during the Covid-19 pandemic, describing the scheme as a lifeline for crores of people. “MGNREGA truly earned a place in the hearts of the people,” he said, adding that extensive consultations with farmer and labour organisations had revealed a shared concern. “Across all discussions, one message came through clearly — people’s rights are being snatched away,” he said.
He announced that workers from across the country would converge in Delhi on Thursday for a dialogue on the future of MGNREGA. These workers, Dikshit said, have used the scheme to build roads, schools, panchayat buildings, ponds and water-harvesting structures, contributing directly to grassroots development and nation-building.
Highlighting the decentralised spirit of the scheme, Dikshit said panchayats once had the autonomy to plan and execute development works for their own prosperity, with the government acting as a supportive partner. He alleged that the Modi government is now “destroying” this participatory process.
The programme is scheduled to be held at Jawahar Bhawan in Delhi on Thursday morning and will bring together MGNREGA workers from every corner of the country. According to Dikshit, participants will share their experiences, recount their struggles and deliberate on the way forward.
In a symbolic gesture, each participant will bring a fistful of soil from their MGNREGA worksite. “All the soil will be collected together to send a collective message of struggle,” Dikshit said, adding that the act would represent both the dignity of labour and the fight to protect people’s rights.
With IANS inputs