The Haryana Congress held a protest in Chandigarh against the BJP government’s purported renaming and weakening of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA). The Congress accused the government of trying to diminish social security provisions meant for the most vulnerable sections. Party leaders, including B.K. Hariprasad, Bhupinder Singh Hooda, and Rao Narender Singh, participated in the protest, marching from the Congress office towards the Assembly to voice their opposition.
The protesters were stopped by the police midway, leading to slogans against the government for what was perceived as dictatorial actions and a plot to abolish MGNREGA. Several senior Congress leaders and party workers were detained during the demonstration. Bhupinder Singh Hooda criticized the BJP government for allegedly neglecting the rights of various marginalized groups and rural communities, emphasizing the Congress’s support for MGNREGA workers and their employment rights.
Hooda claimed that the BJP government had started undermining MGNREGA upon assuming power, pointing out a significant drop in the number of families provided work under the scheme. He highlighted the Congress’s commitment to opposing the alleged changes and pressuring the government to revert its decision. The MGNREGA scheme, initiated during the Congress-led government, aimed to uphold Mahatma Gandhi’s vision of Gram Swaraj and ensure rural livelihood security, with a budget designed to meet demand and provide employment to those seeking work.
