Echoes of resistance rise from India’s heartland as Congress mobilizes against the ‘silent burial’ of MGNREGA. Ajay Rai, fiery Congress stalwart, revealed plans for protests and hunger strikes nationwide to defend the rural employment guarantee scheme.
At a high-energy rally, Rai accused authorities of starving MGNREGA through delayed payments and slashed allocations. ‘They promise Viksit Bharat but snatch rozi-roti from villagers,’ he charged, vowing unyielding satyagraha until demands are met.
The strategy unfolds in phases: street agitations this week, then synchronized fasts from district headquarters. Rai underscored MGNREGA’s transformative impact—building ponds, roads, and dignity for 15 crore workers since inception. He flagged recent data: pending wages over Rs 15,000 crore, crippling state efforts.
Supporters throng venues, sharing tales of how the scheme sustained them through pandemics and droughts. Congress highlights successful models in opposition-ruled states, urging a national revival. Detractors call it a vote-bank gimmick, but Rai insists reforms have made it robust.
With rural anger simmering, this campaign tests the government’s rural playbook. Fasts begin soon—will they bend the iron frame of policy, or fade into rhetoric?