Himachal Pradesh : Congress to launch statewide protest against MGNREGA renaming from January 10

The Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee (HPCC) will launch a statewide agitation from January 10 against the Centre’s decision to rename the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), HPCC president Vinay Kumar announced on Thursday.

Speaking after a meeting with newly elected district Congress presidents, Kumar accused the BJP-led Centre of systematically erasing Mahatma Gandhi’s legacy. “After renaming MGNREGA, the BJP may next remove Mahatma Gandhi’s picture from currency notes,” he said.

The Congress has decided to take the ‘MGNREGA Bachao Sangram’ down to the panchayat and booth level to create awareness about what Kumar termed the “dismantling” of the employment guarantee scheme.

“If the changes made to MGNREGA are not withdrawn, the agitation will continue and be intensified,” Kumar warned.

Countering the BJP’s claim that the revised scheme would benefit people, Kumar alleged that the Centre had weakened its core structure. “MGNREGA guaranteed 100 days of employment. There is no such guarantee in the modified version. Earlier, gram sabhas decided the nature of work; now the government will decide which works are undertaken,” he said.

On organisational matters, Kumar said individuals from all sections of society had been accommodated as district presidents. Block-level presidents would be appointed by the end of the month, followed by the formation of state and district executive committees. He added that those who were contenders for district president posts would be suitably accommodated in party bodies.

The HPCC chief also said he would ensure that ministers are available at the party headquarters even after the Budget Session to address workers’ grievances. “Party workers can approach me anytime, and I will take their issues up with the government,” he said.

Dismissing speculation of factionalism within the party, Kumar clarified that district presidents in Shimla Rural and Kinnaur were yet to be named due to certain observations made by party observers. “There is no factionalism. Presidents for these districts will be announced shortly,” he asserted.

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