###‘MGNREGA Is the Dignity of the Poor’: Congress Holds Massive Protest in Udaipur

Udaipur, Raising strong voices against what it termed an assault on rural livelihoods, the Udaipur Rural and Udaipur City District units of the Indian National Congress staged a peaceful but powerful protest under the banner of “Save MGNREGA Movement” outside the Divisional Commissioner’s Office on Monday. The agitation was organised as per the call of the All India Congress Committee and the directions of the Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee.

The protest began at 11 a.m., following which a memorandum addressed to the Hon’ble President of India was submitted, demanding restoration of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act in its original, rights-based form and protection of the constitutional right to work.

Addressing the gathering, Udaipur Rural District Congress President Raghuveer Singh Meena said the struggle was not merely against the arrogance of power, but a determined resolve to safeguard the rights of the poor and labourers. He alleged that weakening MGNREGA was a calculated move to snatch employment, dignity and constitutional rights from farmers and workers. He recalled that the scheme, launched during the tenure of former Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and under the leadership of Sonia Gandhi, emerged as the world’s largest employment guarantee programme, strengthening the backbone of rural India.

Meena further alleged that recent policy changes have diluted the legal guarantee of 100 days of work, minimum wages and the authority of gram panchayats, while shifting financial burden onto states — a move he termed a conspiracy to dismantle the scheme. He asserted that Congress workers would not allow this to succeed.

Udaipur City District Congress President Fatah Singh Rathore said MGNREGA is not just a welfare scheme but the foundation of rural India and the right of crores of poor families to live with dignity. Any attempt to weaken it, he said, is a direct attack on rural economy, decentralised governance and social justice, which the Congress will oppose on every front.

The programme was conducted by Dr. Sanjeev Rajpurohit, while a vote of thanks was presented by Dinesh Dave. After the protest, a Congress delegation formally submitted the memorandum to the Divisional Commissioner.

The protest witnessed the presence of Mavli MLA Pushkar Dangiy, PCC Vice President Suresh Shrimali, PCC General Secretary Lal Singh Jhala, INTUC Rajasthan President Jagdish Raj Shrimali, former minister Dr. Mangi Lal Garasia, former MLA Preeti Shaktawat, senior leaders, women Congress representatives and a large number of party workers.

Congress leaders unanimously reiterated that any attempt to weaken MGNREGA, cut its budget or delay wages would be resisted through sustained democratic struggle, reaffirming the party’s commitment to protecting the rights of villages, the poor and the working class.