####Centre’s Move to End MGNREGA a Direct Assault on Rural Livelihoods: Raghuveer Singh Meena

Udaipur | Terming the Centre’s alleged move to wind up the MGNREGA scheme as a “serious attack on rural livelihoods,” the Congress party organised a one-day silent fast under the MNREGA Bachao Mahasangram Abhiyan in Udaipur on Saturday.

The joint protest was held by the Udaipur Rural and Udaipur City District Congress Committees from 12 noon to 3 pm at Court Circle, in front of the statue of Dr. Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar. Party leaders and workers first paid floral tributes at the statue and then observed a silent fast, remembering Mahatma Gandhi and Babasaheb Ambedkar.

Addressing the media after the fast, Udaipur Rural District Congress President Raghuveer Singh Meena said that by attempting to end the MGNREGA scheme, the Central government had struck at the very foundation of rural employment and the constitutional right to work of poor labourers living in villages.

He said the landmark employment guarantee had empowered millions of rural workers to live with dignity. “The right to work and self-respect was given to the poor by Congress leaders like Sonia Gandhi and former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. By discontinuing this scheme, the BJP-led Central government has snatched away that right from the poorest sections of society,” Meena alleged.

He asserted that the Congress has always stood with the poor, workers and marginalised communities, and will continue to fight for their rights. As per the directives of the All India Congress Committee and the Pradesh Congress Committee, the MNREGA Bachao Mahasangram will be carried out up to the gram panchayat level to raise the voice of labourers, landless farmers and rural families.

Udaipur City District Congress President Fateh Singh Rathore, PCC Vice President Suresh Shrimali, former legislators, office-bearers of various frontal organisations, sarpanches, block presidents and a large number of Congress workers were present during the silent fast, demonstrating collective opposition to any move perceived as weakening rural employment and social security.

The party reiterated that the campaign would continue across the district to mobilise public support and protect what it called one of India’s most crucial livelihood safety-net programmes.