Chandigarh, Feb 25 (NationPress) The Haryana Congress organized a protest on Wednesday against the BJP-led government, alleging that they are renaming and undermining the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA). This action has been described as an attempt to erode the vital social security measures designed to support the most disadvantaged groups in society.

The Congress party accused the BJP administration of systematically dismantling the social safety net afforded by MGNREGA for economically disadvantaged communities.

Key figures such as party in-charge B.K. Hariprasad, former Chief Minister and Opposition Leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda, state President Rao Narender Singh, ex-state President Chaudhary Udaybhan, and MPs Deepender Singh Hooda, Jai Prakash (JP), Varun Mulana, Satpal Brahmachari, and Jitendra Baghel were present at the protest, accompanied by numerous senior leaders and party activists.

Protesters marched from the Congress office toward the Assembly to voice their objections. The police intervened, halting the march, leading demonstrators to chant slogans against the government, accusing it of embracing authoritarian tactics and plotting to dismantle MGNREGA.

Placards and party flags were waved to express their dissent against the proposed changes.

Several senior Congress leaders and activists were detained by the police during the demonstration.

While addressing supporters, Bhupinder Singh Hooda criticized the BJP government for infringing upon the rights of Dalits, backward classes, economically weaker sections, rural communities, and local governance institutions.

He reaffirmed the Congress's commitment to MGNREGA workers and mentioned that a nationwide campaign is underway to safeguard their employment rights.

Hooda further alleged that the weakening of MGNREGA began following the BJP's ascent to power.

“The Congress previously revealed that over 800,000 MGNREGA workers were registered in Haryana. Yet, in 2024-25, the government allocated work to merely 2,100 families, failing to provide either employment or compensation as stipulated by the program,” he stated.

“This signifies that the BJP has effectively rendered this scheme obsolete in Haryana. With the recent name change, the program seems to have been completely eradicated. Nevertheless, the Congress will resist this move at all levels and compel the government to retract this regressive decision,” Hooda asserted.

He emphasized that the MGNREGA initiative, introduced during the Congress's governance, was intended to bolster Mahatma Gandhi’s vision of Gram Swaraj and guarantee livelihood security in rural regions.

According to Hooda, the scheme's funding should be based on demand, not constrained by fixed budget ceilings, obligating all states and districts to provide employment for those seeking work under its provisions.

He also pointed out that it is the Central government's duty to ensure adequate funding for the scheme.

“However, the budget has now been split between the Central government and the states, complicating its determination and management,” Hooda concluded.