Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Sukhu, Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri, State Congress President Vinay Kumar, State In-charge Rajni Patil, along with ministers and other Congress leaders, observed a fast in protest against the removal of Mahatma Gandhi’s name from the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MNREGA) and the weakening of the scheme.
The Congress leaders are holding a peaceful protest at the Ridge in Shimla, sitting in front of Mahatma Gandhi’s statue. The fast will continue until 1 PM. The State Congress President said that the Modi government is snatching away the livelihoods of people in rural areas. The Congress will not allow injustice to be done to the poor.
He said that the central government has destroyed the very essence of MNREGA by removing Mahatma Gandhi’s name from it. He informed that the Congress has been agitating across the country for the past two weeks to save MNREGA.
Scheme changed under pressure from PMO: Vinay
Vinay said that MNREGA was a scheme that guaranteed 100 days of employment to villagers every year. Under pressure from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), not only has the name of the scheme been changed, but its very nature has also been altered. He said that the PM did not even take the Union Cabinet into confidence.
Vinay Kumar said that under the new scheme, employment will be available only in notified areas, and even that is not guaranteed. This will halt development in rural India. He said that if the central government does not restore the original form of MNREGA, the Congress will intensify its agitation.
Patil to hold meetings at Congress headquarters
In this regard, Rajni Patil will hold a meeting with all district presidents and district and block coordinators appointed for the MNREGA Bachao Abhiyan (Save MNREGA Campaign) at Rajiv Bhavan, the State Congress headquarters in Shimla, from 2 PM to 4 PM.
Following this, separate meetings will be held with office bearers of frontal organizations, Youth Congress, Mahila Congress, and Seva Dal. The State Congress Secretary has urged all district presidents, district and block coordinators, and office bearers of frontal organizations to be present at these meetings.