Congress to launch save-MGNREGA nationwide campaign

The Congress on Saturday announced the launch of the nationwide MGNREGA Bachao Abhiyan from January 5 and said it would also hold at least four rallies to target the government over what it called the removal of Mahatma Gandhi's name, describing it as an insult to the Father of the Nation.

- ANAND SINGH

The announcement was made by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge at a joint press conference with Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, after a meeting of the Congress Working Committee, the party's highest decision making body. The meeting went on for over four hours and was attended by 91 party leaders.

Kharge said that during the CWC meeting, the party took an oath to launch a major movement in the country with the MGNREGA scheme as the central focus. "In this oath, we have outlined five key points," he said.

Kharge added that party leaders had committed themselves to take a leading role and launch the MGNREGA Bachao Abhiyan from January 5.

"We will protect the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) under all circumstances. MGNREGA is not just a scheme; it is the right to work enshrined in the Constitution of India," he said.

He said the party was resolved to unite and struggle for the dignity of rural labourers, their employment, wages, and the right to timely payment, and to safeguard the rights of gram sabhas for demand-based employment.