Congress Protests Removal of Gandhi’s Name From MGNREGS in Adilabad

ADILABAD: On the occasion of the 140th Formation Day of the Congress, party leaders and cadres on Sunday staged protests across the erstwhile Adilabad district against the Centre’s decision to remove Mahatma Gandhi’s name from the MGNREGS, alleging that the move amounted to diluting the Act.

Carrying portraits of Mahatma Gandhi, Congress workers held demonstrations at Gandhi statues in Nirmal, Komaram Bheem Asifabad, and Mancherial districts. District Congress Committee (DCC) presidents hoisted the party flag at their respective offices before joining the protests.

Congress leaders alleged that while the earlier scheme guaranteed employment to job card holders, the new VB-G RMA G Act introduced by the Centre would provide work only if there was demand at the village level. They claimed that job card holders could no longer demand work as a right under the revised framework.

Criticising the BJP-led Central government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress leaders alleged that the move weakened a landmark welfare scheme initiated by earlier Congress governments and favoured corporate interests at the cost of the poor.