New Delhi, Dec 27 (UNI) The Congress Working Committee (CWC) on Saturday resolved to launch a massive nationwide agitation begining January 5, 2026, opposing the central Government’s decision to repeal the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) and bring in a new legislation that shifts part of the funding burden to state governments.
Party President Mallikarjun Kharge announced the decision at a press conference after a crucial meeting of the CWC held here, emphasising the party’s commitment to safeguarding the rights of rural workers.
“The Indian National Congress solemnly vows to lead a MGNREGA Bachao Abhiyan from 5th January 2026. We will protest the repeal of MGNREGA at all costs,” Kharge said at a press briefing after the CWC meeting.
Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who also addressed the presser, strongly criticised the government’s move, and charged, “The government is snatching the poor’s right … The Prime Minister’s Office’s decision to replace MGNREGA, is a devastating attack on federalism.”
The MGNREGA Act, Gandhi pointed out had “strengthened panchayats and empowered rural India”. The leader had earlier accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of harboring “a deep dislike” for the rights of poor citizens and had called MGNREGA the “living embodiment” of Gandhi’s vision of Gram Swaraj, which had proven its efficacy during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“For ten years, this government has weakened it (MGNREGA) … now it aims to erase it completely,” he claimed. The CWC underscored that MGNREGA is not merely a government scheme but “the embodiment of the right to work envisioned by the Constitution of India.”
The committee took a solemn pledge to collectively fight for the right to dignity, employment, and fair, timely compensation for India’s rural workers. It vowed to protect the demand-based employment model and uphold the autonomy of the gram sabha.
For the Congress the renaming exercise itself is objectionable, besides what it called the attack on federalism and rights of the poor. The party views MGNREGA as a landmark achievement of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government led by late prime Minister Manmohan Singh, which provided a critical lifeline during crises such as the pandemic, the CWC said.
In preparation for this campaign, Congress announced plans for a village-level movement on its 141st Foundation Day on December 28, focusing on defending Mahatma Gandhi’s legacy and protecting rural laborers’ rights.
This escalation follows the passing of the Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) Bill, 2025, in Parliament. While the government claims the new law will enhance rural employment by increasing guaranteed work days to 125, the opposition sees it as a strategic manoeuvre to dismantle the demand-driven right to work and centralise control.
Congress General Secretary K C Venugopal had earlier remarked, “Our struggle is not against an ordinary bill; it is a fight to defend a hard-won right that sustains millions’ survival, dignity, and hope.”
Key changes in the new NDA bill, besides dropping Mahatma Gandhi’s name from the scheme, include a funding shift from a fully central funding to a 60:40 cost-sharing model with states. Only Himalayan and Northeastern states will have a 90:10 formula for cost sharing.
It also ushers in a mandatory 60-day halt on public works during peak agricultural seasons to prioritise farm labor, which Congress argues denies workers their legal employment rights. It also replaces a demand-driven approach to budgeting for the scheme with normative allocations controlled by the Centre.
As the countdown begins to the agitation on January 5, Congress aims to mobilise rural workers and grassroots activists to defend what it calls a constitutional right and a vital socio-economic safeguard for millions across India.
