Sat Dec 27 06:49:33 UTC 2025: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Congress to Launch Nationwide Campaign Against Repeal of MGNREGA
NEW DELHI – December 27, 2025 – The Indian National Congress (INC) announced today that it will launch a nationwide campaign, “MGNREGA Bachao Abhiyan,” on January 5th, 2026, protesting the repeal of the UPA-era Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA). The announcement followed a Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting held at the AICC headquarters in New Delhi.
INC President Mallikarjun Kharge warned that the Narendra Modi government will face consequences for replacing MGNREGA with the new VB-G RAM G Bill, which the party claims weakens the “Right to Work” for rural citizens. Kharge emphasized that MGNREGA was a visionary legislation respected globally and called its repeal an insult to Mahatma Gandhi.
The VB-G RAM G Bill, passed during the recent Winter Session of Parliament, replaces the 20-year-old MGNREGA and includes a provision for 125 days of wage employment for rural workers. The Congress argues the new legislation imposes an undue financial burden on states due to changes in cost-sharing between the central and state governments and was passed without proper consultation.
“This law has been brought to crush the poor; we will fight against it on the streets and in Parliament,” Kharge stated.
Kharge also addressed concerns about the SIR exercise, alleging a conspiracy to limit democratic rights and “vote theft.” He urged party members to ensure voter rolls are accurate, particularly for marginalized communities. He added that party members to start working in states that will go to polls in 2027.
Furthermore, Kharge condemned attacks on Hindu minorities in Bangladesh and expressed concern over recent attacks on Christmas Day celebrations in India.
The Congress party is positioning itself as the champion of the poor and marginalized, vowing to fight the new law both politically and through public mobilization.
First Piper 