Will defend MGNREGA at all costs, says Congress Senior leader Priyanka Gandhi

NEW DELHI: The Congress party has declared war on the Centre’s recent replacement of the iconic Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA) with the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Act, 2025 (VB-G RAM G). 

Following a high-powered Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting here on Saturday, party president Mallikarjun Kharge announced a massive nationwide ‘Save MGNREGA Campaign’ starting January 5, 2026, framing it as a battle to protect the constitutional right to work for millions of rural poor. Senior leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra echoed the resolve on X, sharing a video of the press conference: “In today’s CWC meeting, we took an oath for a major movement centred on MGNREGA. The Indian National Congress will launch the ‘Save MGNREGA Campaign’ from January 5. This is the constitutional right to work for villagers and labourers—we will defend it at all costs. Jai Constitution, Jai Hind!”

Earlier during the day, AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge, addressing the media alongside Rahul Gandhi, slammed the new law as an assault on the poor, federalism, and the Gandhian legacy. He highlighted how the UPA-era MGNREGA, pioneered by Sonia Gandhi and Manmohan Singh, transformed Directive Principles into enforceable rights, empowering Dalits, Adivasis, women, and marginalized communities.  (IANS)

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