MGNREGA Bachao Sangram – The Fight To Protect The Poor's Rights & Ensure Their Welfare

The Congress party has launched the MGNREGA Bachao Sangram, a nationwide movement to oppose the Modi government's assault on the world's largest social welfare programme, MGNREGA.

Its revocation, renaming and its subsequent replacement by the VB GRAM G Act is a direct attack on every poor worker in the country and on the ideals of Mahatma Gandhi – the inspiration behind the revolutionary scheme. Gandhiji represented the dignity of labour, local self-rule, and the moral responsibility of the state. Removing his name from the landmark scheme is a calculated attempt to erase his legacy and his vision for India.

Enacted by the Dr. Manmohan Singh-led Congress government in 2005, MGNREGA has, for two decades, been a lifeline for crores of rural families. Since 2006, MGNREGA has generated more than 180 crore person-days of work.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, when the Modi government imposed an unplanned lockdown and left millions of workers hapless and forced to migrate, the scheme became the strongest safety net for their survival. It was then that MGNREGA provided work to 4.6 crore families.

Here's how the Modi government has demolished MGNREGA:

Stealing their constitutional right to work:

Under MGNREGA, the worker's family had a legal guarantee of a minimum of 100 days of work per year. MGNREGA was available in every village in India.

The new law takes away that right. Workers no longer have any legal guarantee to work. They work when the Modi government decides. Work will only be provided in villages chosen by the Modi government.

Right to fair wages under attack:

Workers could demand work throughout the year. They had a legal guarantee of a minimum wage.

Under the new law, they will not get work during the harvest season. Their wages will be set arbitrarily by the Modi government.

Attack on Panchayati Raj:

MGNREGA facilitated Gram Panchayats to provide work on projects for the development of workers' Panchayats. They were helped by NREGA mates & Rozgar Sahayaks too.

However, under the VB GRAM G, where and what workers work on will be decided by the Modi government and its favourite contractors. Also, there is no provision for NREGA mates & Rozgar Sahayaks.

State finances under attack:

Earlier, the union government paid 90% of your wages under MGNREGA. The state government bore only 10% of the share in funding and, hence, would provide work without any difficulties.

The new law mandates state governments to pay 40% of the wages. To save costs, they may not provide work at all, or they might be forced to slash the funding on crucial sectors such as education and health.

Through the MGNREGA Bachao Sangram – beginning on 10 January and concluding on 25 February 2026 – the Congress party will take this fight to every village and corner in the country through panchayat-level chaupals, gram sabha resolutions, ward-level sit-ins, district-level press conferences & dharnas, symbolic protests, state-level Vidhan Sabha gheraos and zonal AICC MGNREGA Bachao Rallies.

Our demands are clear:

• Immediate restoration of MGNREGA
• Reinstate the constitutional right to work.
• Ensure the right to wages and the right to accountability.
• Ensure an all-India minimum wage of ₹400.

This is not a political programme – it's a fight to save the rights, livelihood and future of every poor worker, farmer and labourer in India. The Congress party will fight to the end to ensure them justice!

To save MGNREGA, join us and raise your voice!✊

Visit https://www.mgnregabachao.in