Mallikarjun Kharge to address press briefing as Congress announces Nationwide protests over MGNREGA Bill

NEW DELHI: Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday will address a special press briefing in the national capital at 9.30 am, amid the party’s sharp attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Centre over what it describes as an assault on Mahatma Gandhi’s legacy, workers’ rights and the federal structure.

In a post on X on Tuesday, the Indian National Congress wrote that the party alleged that recent legislative moves by the Centre form part of a “larger BJP-RSS conspiracy” aimed at dismantling rights-based welfare frameworks and replacing them with centrally controlled charity models.

“The combined attack on Gandhiji’s legacy, workers’ rights and federal responsibility exposes a larger BJP-RSS conspiracy to dismantle rights-based welfare and replace it with charity controlled from the Centre,” the Congress said in its post.

In view of what it termed the “gravity of this attack”, the party has directed all Pradesh Congress Committees (PCCs) to organise protests on December 17, 2025, at all district headquarters across the country. The Congress said these protests must be held with portraits of Mahatma Gandhi, symbolising resistance to what it called the erasure of his name and values.

The party further stated that the protests should focus on explaining how the proposed changes would impact crores of beneficiaries, particularly those dependent on the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).

The Congress also announced a second phase of mobilisation on December 28, 2025, marking the Foundation Day of the Indian National Congress. On the occasion, PCCs have been instructed to organise programmes in all mandals and villages, again featuring portraits of Mahatma Gandhi, to reaffirm the party’s commitment to the dignity of labour, social justice and the right to work.

“This is both a political and moral struggle. The Congress Party must lead from the front to defend MGNREGA, Gandhiji’s legacy and the constitutional promise of justice for the poorest,” the party said.

The briefing comes amid Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan’s introduction of the Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Bill, 2025, also referred to as the VB-G RAM-G Bill, which aims to replace the two-decade-old Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).

The introduction of the Bill was met with uproar from the Opposition MPs.

Opposing the Bill, Congress has announced a series of nationwide protests on December 17, accusing the BJP and RSS of attempting to “dismantle rights-based welfare” and replace it with charity controlled from the Centre. The party has directed its state units (Pradesh Congress Committees) to organise protests at all district headquarters.

The demonstrations will feature portraits of Mahatma Gandhi to symbolise resistance against the “erasure of his name and values” and highlight the potential impact of the new law on millions of beneficiaries. (ANI)