Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday called for a nationwide campaign against the repeal of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), comparing the government’s move to the now-withdrawn farm laws that were repealed after sustained public opposition.
Addressing a meeting of the Congress Working Committee, Kharge said the repeal of the rural employment scheme had been carried out without adequate study, evaluation or consultation with state governments and political parties.
He described MGNREGA as a landmark and visionary legislation of the UPA era that had earned global recognition for strengthening rural livelihoods and providing employment security to millions.
Drawing parallels with earlier policy reversals, Kharge said the government had similarly been forced to withdraw the three farm laws following widespread protests, and cited the dilution attempts of the land acquisition law in 2015 that were eventually rolled back.
He said these examples underscored the need for sustained public mobilisation.
“The responsibility before us is to build a concrete plan and launch a nationwide public movement to oppose the repeal of MGNREGA,” he said, urging party leaders to take the issue to the people across the country.
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Kharge also raised concerns over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, calling it a “well-planned conspiracy” aimed at curtailing democratic rights.
He said the Congress Working Committee meeting was being held at a time when democracy, the Constitution and citizens’ rights were under serious threat.
The Congress chief further condemned recent attacks on Hindu minorities in Bangladesh, saying the developments had caused concern across India.
He also criticised what he described as attacks on Christmas celebrations by organisations linked to the BJP and RSS, alleging that such incidents had disturbed communal harmony and damaged India’s image at the global level.
