NEW DELHI: During the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting, the party’s highest decision-making body, party president Mallikarjun Kharge raised the issue of replacing of MGNREGA with the VB G RAM G Bill, SIR, elections in five states and union territories, the misuse of central agencies in National Herald case, attack on Hindus in Bangladesh, and how the BJP and RSS were trying to vitiate the atmosphere during Christmas festivities.
During the meeting, as per sources, Congress leader Digvijaya Singh also demanded to strengthen the party and decentralise the power under the Sangathan Srijan that has been undertaken in last one year.
In his opening remarks, Kharge mentioned that they have gathered to deliberate and formulate a strategy for the future at a time when democracy, the Constitution, and the rights of citizens are facing a grave crisis on all sides across the country.
Taking a swipe at the government over replacing the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), Kharge said, “In the recently concluded Winter Session of Parliament, the Modi government has scrapped MGNREGA, leaving millions of poor and vulnerable people without support. In addition to kicking the poor in the stomach, the Modi government has stabbed them in the back.”
He said that scrapping of MGNREGA is an insult to the Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi.
“As CPP chairperson Sonia Gandhi recently wrote: MGNREGA realised the Mahatma’s vision of Sarvodaya (‘welfare of all’) and enacted the constitutional right to work. Its death is our collective moral failure one that will have financial and human consequences for crores of India’s working peoples for years to come. It is imperative, now more than ever, to unite and safeguard the rights that protect us all,” he said.
He said that scrapping violates the Rights enshrined in Article 41 of the Directive Principles of State Policy (DPSPs) of the Constitution, on which the UPA government took significant steps, such as the Right to Work, Right to Food, Right to Education, and Right to Health. “I am deeply saddened that the Modi government has launched a premeditated and brutal attack on the Right to Work.
Targeting the BJP-led government at the Centre, the Rajya Sabha Leader of Opposition said, “The Modi government is not concerned with the poor, but only with the profits of a handful of big capitalists.”
Kharge quoted Mahatma Gandhi and said that he used to say: “I hate privilege and monopoly. Whatever cannot be shared with the masses is taboo to me.”
He further said, “MGNREGA is a far-sighted step taken by the UPA government that has been appreciated by the entire world. When I was the Labour Minister, I used to attend ILO conferences of G-20 countries, and the Prime Ministers and Ministers of other countries had praised this scheme profusely. I am a witness to this.”
He said that on February 2, 2006, Sonia Gandhi and Dr. Manmohan Singh launched MGNREGA in Bundlapalli, Andhra Pradesh.
“This scheme transformed the face of rural India. It became the world’s largest rural employment program. It halted migration, freed villages from famine, hunger, and exploitation. This scheme gave confidence to Dalits, Adivasis, women, and landless labourers that the government stands with them in the battle against poverty,” he said.
He asserted that today, there is an entire generation in India that has escaped poverty, reached schools, become educated, and is living with dignity, all thanks to MGNREGA.
“But the Modi government, without any study or evaluation, without consulting the states or political parties, has terminated it and imposed a new law. It has done everything just like with the three black farm laws,” he said, adding, “At this moment, there is a need for a nationwide movement. There must be strong opposition to this in every corner of the country. Because earlier, in January 2015, when the Modi government amended the Land Acquisition Act in the interests of corporates, Congress workers took to the streets, and the government had to back down.”
The Congress leader also highlighted that during the Covid lockdown, in June 2020, Prime Minister Narendra Modi brought in an Ordinance and imposed the three black farm laws.
“Despite opposition from the Opposition in Parliament, the laws were passed. Over 700 farmers who were protesting against it attained martyrdom. The government laid nails, sprayed water cannons, and suppressed them,” he said, adding that how the Congress party stood firmly with the farmers, and in November 2021, the Prime Minister had to apologize to the farmers and repeal the laws.
Kharge recalled that how Rahul Gandhi had predicted the repeal of these black laws much earlier.
“And recently, he has also predicted that the Modi government will have to restore MGNREGA again,” the Congress leader said.
He also highlighted that how in the last 76 years, the Constitution has taught the country’s citizens so much that no dictator can snatch away their rights.
“But it is our collective responsibility to formulate a concrete plan on MGNREGA, to build a nationwide, people’s movement. We will win this battle. In these difficult times, the vulnerable people across the country are looking towards the Congress,” he said.
He also pointed out the ‘Sangathan Srijan’ (Organization Creation) programme from Karnataka’s Belagavi and said that so far, the process of appointing new district presidents has been completed in nearly 500 districts of the country.
“In the next 120 days, the process will be completed in the remaining districts as well,” he said.
He cautioned the party leaders that the matter is not limited to just appointments.
“We must make the organization active, accountable, and combative at the state, district, block, mandal, and booth levels,” he said.
Kharge also noted that elections are scheduled in Assam, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Puducherry in April-May 2026 and “our preparations are ongoing.”
“We will contest the elections in an organized manner, with complete unity, and strengthen democracy,” he said.
While touching on the Special Intensive Revision of voter rolls by the Election Commission, Kharge said that “SIR is a matter of serious concern.
“It is a well-thought-out conspiracy to restrict democratic rights. Rahul Gandhi has repeatedly presented evidence of ‘vote theft’ before the country with facts and examples.
The collusion between the BJP and the Election Commission is well-known to all. Therefore, we must ensure that the names of our voters are not deleted,” the Congress leader said.
