Mallikarjun Kharge on VB-G RAM G Act: 'This law will crush the poor, we will fight against it'
Mallikarjun Kharge on VB-G RAM G Act said states will have additional expenditure burden and this is a one-sided decision without consultation.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday addressed a press conference after CWC meeting and said the VB-G RAM G Act has been brought to crush poor and the Congress will fight against it on streets and in Parliament. The VB-G RAM G Act has been brought to crush poor, we will fight against it on streets and in Parliament. States will have additional expenditure burden and this is a one-sided decision without consultation.
Congress to launch movement on MNREGA scheme
After the CWC meeting, Mallikarjun Kharge said, "In the meeting, we took an oath. We decided to launch a massive movement across the country, making the MNREGA scheme the central point. Indian National Congress party, taking a leading role, will launch the MNREGA Save Campaign from January 5th. We will protect the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA) at all costs. MNREGA is not just a scheme, but a right to work granted by the Constitution of India... We also pledge to democratically oppose every conspiracy to remove Gandhiji's name from MNREGA."
He said that people are angry over repeal of MGNREGA and now the government will have to face the consequences.
Mallikarjun Kharge added that, “We took an oath that we will democratically oppose every conspiracy to remove Mahatma Gandhi’s name from MGNREGA and to turn workers’ rights into charity. With faith in the Constitution and democracy, we pledge to protect MGNREGA, safeguard workers’ rights, and raise our voices in every village. With the slogans of ‘Jai Samvidhan’ and ‘Jai Hind’, we have collectively accepted this resolve.”
Kharge SIR was a conspiracy to limit democratic rights
He said that a nationwide campaign was needed against the repeal of the rural employment scheme MGNREGA and added that the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls was a "well-planned conspiracy" to limit democratic rights.
He said the meeting was being held at a time when the democracy, Constitution and citizen's rights were under serious threat.
He said the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) was a visionary legislation of the UPA government, which was appreciated across the world. The scheme was named after Mahatma Gandhi due to the impact it had, Kharge said.
"The Modi government has, without any study, evaluation or consultation with states and political parties, repealed the law. This is just as they did with the (three) farm laws," he said.
The Congress president said a nationwide movement is required against the repeal. The government's move should be protested against across the country, he said, citing the example of the 2015 amendments to India's land acquisition law that were effectively rolled back.
"It is our collective responsibility to make concrete plans on MGNREGA, launch a nationwide public campaign," he said.
Kharge condemns attacks on minorities in Bangladesh
On the SIR, he said it is a serious issue, and a well-planned conspiracy to limit people's democratic rights. Kharge also condemned the attacks on Hindu minorities in Bangladesh, and said the entire nation is concerned over it. He added that the attacks on Christmas celebrations by "organisations linked to the BJP and RSS" have disturbed communal harmony, and tainted India's image globally.
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