Rahul Gandhi Launches ‘MGNREGA Bachao Sangram’ Campaign in Rae Bareli, Targets Centre
He inaugurated the Rae Bareli Premier League T-20 cricket tournament of the Youth Sports Academy.
Published : January 20, 2026 at 6:24 PM IST
Rae Bareli: Congress MP and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, who is on a one-day visit to Uttar Pradesh’s Rae Bareli, participated in several programmes across the constituency. He inaugurated the Rae Bareli Premier League T-20 cricket tournament of the Youth Sports Academy at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium and interacted with players from the participating teams.
Addressing the gathering, Rahul Gandhi said that during the Congress-led government's terms, the concept of MGNREGA was based on empowering panchayats by giving them responsibility and financial authority.
"The objective was to ensure minimum wages for India's poor and to make sure that no one was paid less than the stipulated wage," he said.
He alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi wants to centralise power and concentrate authority in the hands of bureaucracy. "The government has removed the protection of the poor. Renaming MGNREGA was an insult to Mahatma Gandhi. The intent is to weaken a scheme meant to ensure livelihood for the poorest," he said.
He said the Congress party is fighting across the country to save MGNREGA and safeguard the rights of labourers. "Narendra Modi wants the country’s wealth to go into the hands of Adani and Ambani. While we are protecting the people, the Prime Minister is busy transferring public money to a few corporate houses," he alleged.
During his visit on Tuesday, Rahul Gandhi also reached Anand Nagar, where he met the family of the municipal council chairperson and offered blessings following the recent wedding of the chairperson’s daughter. He later held a meeting with party office-bearers to discuss strategy for the upcoming panchayat elections and attended several other programmes.
Rahul Gandhi personally led the ‘MGNREGA Bachao Sangram’ campaign in Rae Bareli. In Umran village of the Unchahar Assembly constituency, he interacted directly with MGNREGA workers and villagers, launching a sharp political attack on the Centre. During the ‘MGNREGA Bachao Sangram Chaupal’, he sought to make people aware of their rights.
He said MGNREGA workers are neither getting work on time nor receiving wages promptly. The Congress MP said that flawed government policies have directly affected the livelihoods of the rural poor. "Changing the name does not change ground realities. What is needed is guaranteed work and timely payment of wages," he said, alleging that the Centre is trying to weaken a crucial scheme like MGNREGA.
Rahul Gandhi reiterated that the Congress would continue its fight to protect the interests and rights of the poor and working class.
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