Sonia Gandhi Pledges Congress Fight Against New Law Replacing MGNREGA
Sonia Gandhi accuses Modi govt. of weakening MGNREGA, vows Congress fight against new law.
Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Saturday accused the Modi government of “bulldozing” the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), describing the recent amendments as a “black law” that undermines the rights of rural workers. Gandhi asserted that the party and its supporters will oppose the changes and defend the livelihoods of crores of farmers, laborers, and landless workers.
In a video message, she said the weakening of MGNREGA over the past 11 years reflects the Centre’s disregard for the rural poor. Gandhi emphasized that the Act has historically provided legal employment, reduced migration, and empowered gram panchayats, becoming a cornerstone for rural development.
Recalling the Act’s origins, she mentioned that MGNREGA was passed 20 years ago under the leadership of then-Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, with broad consensus in Parliament. She called it a revolutionary step that offered livelihood opportunities to the most marginalized sections of society.
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Gandhi highlighted the Act’s significance in realizing Mahatma Gandhi’s vision of Gram Swaraj, stating that it brought concrete progress in rural employment and social empowerment. She expressed deep regret that the government recently altered MGNREGA’s form and structure without public consultation or opposition involvement.
She criticized the removal of Mahatma Gandhi’s name from the scheme and condemned the arbitrary changes, calling them a violation of democratic and participatory norms. Gandhi reiterated that the Congress party would mobilize workers to resist the amendments and protect the rights of the rural poor.
The Congress leader’s remarks come amid rising political debate over MGNREGA reforms, with opposition parties warning that the amendments could erode rural employment guarantees and adversely affect millions of workers dependent on the scheme for livelihood and economic stability.
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