Mungeli, Chhattisgarh — Political activity has intensified in Chhattisgarh over the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), as the Congress party continues its statewide protest drive under the banner of the “Save MGNREGA Campaign.”
As part of the campaign being held from January 12 to February 26, Congress workers staged a symbolic protest in the Patharia block of Mungeli district on the instructions of the state party leadership. The demonstration was led by District Congress President Ghanshyam Verma and saw active participation from district, block, and local-level party leaders and workers.
In a symbolic act to highlight their opposition, Congress workers carried out mock digging work under the MGNREGA scheme, accusing the government of weakening one of India’s most important rural welfare programs. Protesters raised slogans against the government, alleging that recent policy changes have adversely affected rural laborers.
Addressing the gathering, Ghanshyam Verma said MGNREGA has been a lifeline for poor and vulnerable workers in rural areas by guaranteeing employment. He alleged that recent changes in the scheme’s rules have diluted its original purpose. Verma pointed to a reduction in workdays, delays in wage payments, and the introduction of new regulations as major issues causing hardship for workers.
He further claimed that the government’s policies are forcing rural laborers to migrate in search of work and warned that if corrective steps are not taken, the Congress party will intensify its agitation in the coming days.
Congress leaders also emphasized that MGNREGA is not just an employment program but the backbone of the rural economy. They warned that weakening the scheme could lead to rising unemployment and increased economic distress for poor families in villages. The party demanded timely wage payments, restoration of the scheme in its original form, and withdrawal of what it termed “anti-worker” amendments.
At the conclusion of the protest, Congress leaders reiterated that the “Save MGNREGA Campaign” is not a one-day event and will continue across the state until February 26. Similar protests and public awareness programs are planned in other blocks of the district.
The Patharia protest signals that political tensions over MGNREGA are likely to intensify further in the coming weeks.
Several Congress leaders and local representatives, including block-level office bearers, sarpanches, and party workers, were present at the demonstration.