MGNREGA Has Been a Lifeline for Rural India for Two Decades, Modi Government Has Snatched That Right Too; Modi–Shah Lies in National Herald Case Exposed: Ritu Chaudhary

AICC National Spokesperson Attacks Centre Over MGNREGA and National Herald During Press Conference in Udaipur

Udaipur. As part of a nationwide press outreach by the All India Congress Committee to expose what it terms the anti-people policies of the “arrogant” Modi government, AICC National Spokesperson Ritu Chaudhary addressed a press conference in Udaipur, strongly criticising the Centre over the weakening of MGNREGA and the National Herald case.

Speaking to the media, Chaudhary alleged that the Modi government has been deliberately trying to weaken MGNREGA by changing its structure and undermining its intent. She also launched a sharp attack on the Centre over the National Herald case, stating that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) are being misused as tools of political vendetta. She said courts have repeatedly questioned the very basis and procedure of the investigation in the National Herald matter.

Chaudhary asserted that there is no clear predicate offence nor concrete evidence of money laundering in the National Herald case. Both the Supreme Court and lower courts have observed that there was no legal basis for registering an FIR for a long period, yet the investigating agencies continued their actions. Targeting Sonia Gandhi and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, she said, is part of a political strategy to intimidate the opposition and exert pressure rather than pursue justice. She accused the Modi government of misusing democratic and constitutional institutions for political gain.

She further stated that despite the misuse of ED, CBI and the Income Tax Department to suppress opposition voices, the Congress will not be intimidated and will continue to fight to protect democracy, the Constitution and the rights of the people. Chaudhary said that after Rahul Gandhi exposed what he called “vote theft” by the Modi government, the ruling party was left with no option but to spread lies and propaganda. She described the prolonged 50-hour interrogation of Rahul Gandhi over five days as nothing but a political conspiracy.

According to Chaudhary, the people of India have now realised that the allegations made by the Modi government in the National Herald case are nothing more than a bundle of lies, propaganda and a failed attempt to harass political opponents.

On MGNREGA, she said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has opposed the scheme since 2014, even calling it a symbol of Congress failure in Parliament. Over the past 11 years, MGNREGA has been systematically weakened through rule changes, budget cuts, withholding of legally mandated funds to states, deletion of job cards, and the imposition of Aadhaar-based payments. As a result, nearly 7 crore workers have been pushed out of the scheme.

She alleged that due to these deliberate pressures, MGNREGA workers have received only 50–55 days of employment per year on average over the last five years, calling it a calculated conspiracy to dismantle the programme. Chaudhary said MGNREGA, which has been a lifeline for crores of rural families for two decades, is being deliberately hollowed out. Despite being a guarantee of livelihood for rural poor, the scheme is suffering from inadequate budget allocation, delayed wage payments, excessive centralisation and reduced role of states.

She pointed out that after COVID-19, MGNREGA proved to be a crucial lifeline for the rural economy, but the government is now gradually rendering it ineffective. Calling the Centre’s actions a direct insult to the ideals of Mahatma Gandhi, she said this amounts to an open declaration of war against rural employment.

After devastating India’s youth with record unemployment, the Modi government, she alleged, is now targeting the last remaining economic safety net of poor rural families. She said the Congress will oppose this anti-people, anti-worker and anti-federal attack from the streets to Parliament.

Present at the press conference along with Ritu Chaudhary were Pradesh Congress General Secretary and Spokesperson Pankaj Kumar Sharma, Udaipur City District Congress President Fateh Singh Rathore, Organisation General Secretary Arun Tank, Udaipur Rural District Congress Spokesperson Dr. Sanjeev Rajpurohit, Udaipur City District Congress Spokesperson Pankaj Paliwal, Dr. Kaushal Nagda, Dinesh Dave, and Dinesh Audichya.