The Punjab Congress initiated the ‘MGNREGA Bachao Sangram’ campaign to revive the rural employment guarantee scheme named after Mahatma Gandhi. The campaign commenced with a rally in Gurdaspur town, attended by senior party leaders and a large gathering of workers, farmers, and marginalized groups. Congress leaders emphasized their determination to pressure the BJP government to reinstate MGNREGA and repeal the new ‘VB-G RAM G’ law, similar to the withdrawal of the contentious farm laws.
Former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister and party General Secretary Bhupesh Baghel, at the event, highlighted Congress’s historical support for laborers and marginalized communities. Baghel praised MGNREGA, initiated by the Congress government in 2005, as a globally acclaimed ‘pro-poor’ initiative. He criticized the Modi-led government for scrapping the scheme, prompting Congress leaders like Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi to advocate for the affected laborers and marginalized groups lacking representation.
Baghel also criticized the AAP government in Punjab, labeling it as the BJP’s “B-team” for failing to fulfill its obligations under MGNREGA. Punjab Congress President Amarinder Singh Raja Warring condemned Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s negative stance on MGNREGA, despite its international recognition as a successful rural employment scheme. Warring questioned the BJP’s commitment to providing 125 workdays under the new VB-G RAM G scheme, highlighting the low implementation rates in Punjab under the AAP government.
