Congress to launch ‘MGNREGA Bachao Abhiyan’ from January 5; Kharge warns Modi government of public backlas
By Tajdar H. Zaidi
New Delhi: The Congress has announced a nationwide campaign titled ‘MGNREGA Bachao Abhiyan’, to be launched on January 5, intensifying its confrontation with the Union government over what it calls the dismantling of the landmark rural employment guarantee framework.
Party president Mallikarjun Kharge warned on Saturday that the Narendra Modi-led government would have to face “people’s anger” for what the party describes as an assault on the poor and marginalised.
Addressing a press conference after a meeting of the Congress Working Committee (CWC), Kharge said the party had resolved to take the issue to the streets and Parliament alike.
“MGNREGA is not merely a welfare scheme. It embodies the constitutional Right to Work. Any attempt to weaken or repeal it is a direct attack on the dignity and livelihood of crores of rural Indians,” he asserted.
Kharge said the CWC had collectively pledged to make MGNREGA the focal point of a sustained mass movement.
“From January 5, the Congress will lead a nationwide MGNREGA Bachao Abhiyan. This law has been brought to crush the poor, and we will resist it at every level,” he declared.
‘Visionary legislation, globally recognised’
Describing the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act as one of the most visionary legislations of the UPA era, Kharge said it had earned international recognition for providing a safety net to rural households during periods of distress.
“It was named after Mahatma Gandhi because of its transformative impact. Repealing or hollowing it out is nothing short of an insult to his legacy,” he said.
The Congress chief accused the government of acting unilaterally and without adequate consultation with states or stakeholders.
Referring to the cost-sharing provisions under the newly introduced framework, Kharge said the Centre was shifting an additional financial burden onto state governments.
“This one-sided decision will strain state finances and ultimately hurt the poorest beneficiaries,” he argued.
Drawing parallels with farm laws and land reforms
Kharge invoked past policy reversals to bolster the party’s confidence that sustained public pressure could force a rethink.
He recalled the controversial amendments to the land acquisition law in 2015, which were effectively rolled back, and the three farm laws that were repealed after prolonged farmers’ protests in 2020–21.
“Rahul Gandhi had predicted that the farm laws would have to be withdrawn, and that proved true. He has now said that MGNREGA, too, will have to be restored.
It is our collective responsibility to make concrete plans and take this message to the people,” Kharge said, adding that citizens were once again looking towards the Congress “in this difficult situation.
Allegations on electoral processes
Turning to the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, Kharge termed it a “serious and dangerous conspiracy” to curtail democratic rights.
Echoing Rahul Gandhi’s claims of “vote chori” (vote theft), he alleged collusion between the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Election Commission of India.
“We must ensure that the names of our voters are not deleted. Particular vigilance is needed to protect Dalits, tribals, extremely backward classes and minorities,” he said, urging booth-level party workers to conduct door-to-door verification.
Broader political messaging
Kharge also condemned attacks on Hindu minorities in Bangladesh, saying the issue had caused nationwide concern.
At the same time, he criticised assaults on Christmas celebrations within India, alleging the involvement of organisations linked to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh.
Such incidents, he said, had disturbed communal harmony and damaged India’s global image.
Does the Congress campaign have substance?
Political analysts are divided on whether the Congress’s renewed focus on MGNREGA represents a substantive intervention or a familiar pattern of oppositional politics.
Supporters of the Congress line argue that rural distress, stagnant wages and delayed payments under MGNREGA have already generated deep resentment in many states.
“Employment guarantee is not just a policy issue; it is a livelihood lifeline.
Any perception that the Centre is diluting it can have serious political consequences, especially in rural India,” said a senior political economist.
Sceptics, however, contend that the Congress is seeking to reclaim political relevance by rallying around a legacy programme.
“This could be opposition for the sake of opposition,” said one analyst. “Unless the party presents a clear, credible alternative roadmap—beyond protests and rhetoric—the campaign risks being seen as an attempt to stay in the limelight rather than a constructive policy debate.”
Others strike a middle ground, noting that while the Congress may gain political mileage, the issue itself resonates beyond partisan lines. “MGNREGA has become embedded in rural political consciousness.
Any move perceived as weakening it will inevitably provoke resistance, regardless of who leads it,” a former election commissioner observed.
As the Congress prepares to take its campaign nationwide from January 5, the coming weeks will test whether the ‘MGNREGA Bachao Abhiyan’ can translate street mobilisation into sustained political pressure—or whether it will remain another chapter in India’s long tradition of adversarial politics.
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