Congress Intensifies ‘Save MNREGA’ Campaign, Accusing BJP of Diluting Labor Rights

Prayagraj : The Congress Party has launched a sharp offensive against the current administration, accusing the BJP government of systematically dismantling the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA). Leading the MNREGA Bachao Sangram Chaupal in Bakseda, Gangapar District President Ashfaq Ahmed claimed that recent policy shifts are stripping rural laborers of their fundamental right to work.

Claims of Policy Erosion
During the assembly, Ahmed argued that the central government is weakening a law that was originally designed by the Congress-led UPA government to provide a social safety net. Key concerns raised during the Chaupal included:

Contractor Involvement: Allegations that work is being diverted to private contractors, bypassing the authority of Gram Panchayats.

Financial Shifting: Shifting 40% of the financial burden onto state governments, which Congress claims hinders the scheme's execution.

Stagnant Wages: Ahmed noted that workers currently receive only ₹289 for eight hours of labor, a sum the party deems insufficient in the current economy.

The Four-Point Demand
The Congress Party has issued a formal challenge to the government, outlining four primary demands to protect the interests of the rural workforce:

Guarantee of Work: Restoring the legal assurance of employment.

Wage Increase: Setting a mandatory minimum wage of ₹400.

Accountability: Ensuring transparency in the distribution of labor and funds.

Reversal of Amendments: An immediate rollback of recent changes to restore the scheme to its original constitutional framework.

Assembly in-charge Nisha Singh further emphasized that while the law originally guaranteed 100 days of employment per family, that security has now vanished. The event, conducted by Karthikeya Pandey, saw a large turnout of local workers and party leaders, all of whom voiced their support for a complete restoration of the MNREGA scheme.

(Report by Zainul Abdin)