The Madhya Pradesh Congress is set to organize a state-level Nyay Yatra in Indore on Sunday at 11 a.m. to protest the Bhagirathpura water tragedy and recent MNREGA changes. The march will commence at Bada Ganpati Temple and proceed to Rajwada Chowk near the statue of Maa Ahilyabai Holkar, with the participation of senior leaders, elected representatives, party workers, and citizens. Former Minister PC Sharma, Bhopal City District Congress Committee President Praveen Saxena, and State Spokesperson Rahul Raj strongly criticized the BJP government during a joint press conference in Bhopal.
Announcing the protest, Praveen Saxena labeled the Bhagirathpura incident as “government-sponsored murders,” citing criminal negligence and administrative failure by the BJP government. He alleged that twenty people lost their lives, and over a thousand citizens fell ill due to contaminated water. The Congress demanded the immediate removal of the Indore mayor, Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya’s resignation for insensitive remarks, and increased compensation for the deceased families to Rs 1 crore instead of Rs 2 lakh. Additionally, the party called for a judicial inquiry and the filing of culpable homicide cases against the responsible parties, emphasizing a continued struggle for justice.
PC Sharma criticized the BJP government and former chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, highlighting Madhya Pradesh’s debt of Rs 4 lakh crore from Chouhan’s tenure. He expressed concerns over the new 60:40 MNREGA expenditure ratio, projecting an additional annual burden of Rs 5,000 crore on the state. The party also opposed the e-KYC verification status of 90.5% of active MNREGA workers, labeling the policies as anti-labor and accusing them of deliberately depriving the underprivileged of their rights. The Congress demanded the immediate withdrawal of the new law by the Modi government, vowing to escalate the Save MNREGA campaign from panchayats to the streets.
Rahul Raj accused Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan of spearheading the replacement of MNREGA with the new act, characterizing it as a direct assault on the poor’s right to work and a betrayal of Gandhi’s Gram Swaraj ideals. He criticized the law for potentially adding Rs 5,000 crore annually to the state’s existing debt of Rs 4.5 lakh crore. Raj raised concerns about provisions allowing work suspension for 60 days during the harvest season, which could lead to labor migration and exploitation. He questioned the potential delays in MNREGA wages akin to crop insurance payments under the new law.
