Telangana’s ruling Congress has decided to hold protests across the state for 45 days, demanding the reinstatement of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS). The party is opposing the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Aajeevika Mission (Gramin) Act (VB G RAM G), which was recently passed to replace the MGNREGS. State Congress leaders, including Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, are organizing these protests to fight against what they term a detrimental move for rural communities.
During a meeting at the party headquarters, Gandhi Bhavan, the leaders outlined plans for the protests and criticized the new legislation, VB G RAM G, as a “death sentence” for the rural poor. They intend to raise awareness about the negative impact of the new law on the interests of the poor and farm laborers. The party will conduct Gram Sabhas in over 12,000 Gram Panchayats from January 20 to January 30 to pass resolutions urging the restoration of MGNREGS, with these resolutions to be forwarded to the President for consideration.
Furthermore, the Congress party will host public gatherings in all districts starting from February 3. A significant public meeting is scheduled in Mulugu, where Chief Minister Revanth Reddy announced invitations to top Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi. Criticizing the BJP-led NDA government for replacing MGNREGS, Reddy accused them of causing distress to the underprivileged by altering the policy. He emphasized the positive impact of MGNREGS on the self-esteem of the poor and highlighted the scheme’s successful implementation in the Telugu states.
The Chief Minister vowed to continue the fight until MGNREGS is reinstated, demanding an apology from Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He mentioned the unanimous resolution passed by the state Assembly in protest against the changes to MGNREGS and called on state MPs to voice their opposition during the Budget session of Parliament. Reddy also criticized the Modi government for various actions, including alleged attempts to manipulate the voters’ list and seize excessive powers.
