Congress Protests Changes to MGNREGA, Alleging Weakening of Social Security for Poor

Chandigarh:Led by party in-charge B K Hariprasad, former two-time chief minister and Leader of the Opposition (LoP) Bhupinder Singh Hooda, the Congress MLAs and workers on Wednesday held a protest against the changes made by the BJP government to Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) alleging that the BJP was trying to weaken the social security net provided to the poor. Party leaders, party MLAs and workers who raised slogans against the BJP government also took out a protest march with placards against the government from the Congress office towards the assembly, though the police stopped and detained them. They were taken to Sector 3 police station from where they were released later in the day. Speaking on the occasion, Hooda said the BJP government undermined the rights of Dalits, backward classes, the poor, rural population, and panchayats, but Congress stood with MGNREGA workers and is campaigning across the country to protect their employment. Also Watch: He said that the Congress’ response to a question in Parliament revealed that over 800,000 MGNREGA workers were registered in Haryana. However, in 2024-25, the government provided 100 days of work to only 2,100 families. The government neither provided work nor compensation as outlined in the scheme, he said. “This means the BJP had already virtually abolished this scheme in Haryana. Now, with the name change, the scheme has been wiped out. However, Congress will oppose it at every level and force the government to reverse this anti-people decision,” he added.