Yog Raj Sharma
The North News
Shimla, January 10
The Congress party has launched nationwide protests against recent changes to the rural employment scheme MGNREGA, accusing the central government of weakening workers’ rights and livelihoods. In Himachal Pradesh, the party began block-level awareness campaigns and demonstrations on Saturday. Speaking at a press conference at the Congress headquarters in Shimla, State Revenue and Horticulture Minister Jagat Singh Negi criticised the Centre government, alleging that after “stealing votes”, it was now “stealing employment and wages” from rural workers.
Jagat Singh Negi said amendments to the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act amounted to an erosion of guaranteed work and fair pay. He also accused the central government of mismanaging the economy, claiming that national debt had risen sharply since the BJP came to power. Referring to recent elections, he alleged that public funds were being diverted for political gain and that social welfare laws such as MGNREGA were being diluted to compensate for such spending. He said Congress would continue its protests against what it described as attempts to weaken landmark legislation introduced during earlier Congress-led governments.
Negi further alleged that the BJP had renamed several Congress-era schemes during its years in power, calling it an effort to erase their original intent. He accused the government of pursuing policies that were “anti-worker, anti-farmer and anti-horticulturist”. The Congress party said it would intensify its agitation across the country to oppose the amendments and press for stronger safeguards for rural employment.
