Defiance defined the streets of Sawai Madhopur as Congress launched its ‘Save MGNREGA Campaign’ with fasting leaders and resolute demonstrators. AICC Secretary alongside Assembly Deputy Leader abstained from food, protesting what they term a ‘systematic dismantling’ of rural India’s safety net.
Crowds swelled under shamianas adorned with party flags, where survivors of MGNREGA’s woes aired unfiltered pain. A young mother spoke of selling jewelry to feed her kids during work droughts; a mason decried ghost muster rolls siphoning funds.
Data underscores the crisis: national pending wages hit ₹11,000 crore, Rajasthan’s work demand unmet by 60%. New rules mandating bank-Aadhaar sync have frozen payments for 2 crore workers, per party claims.
Articulating the vision, leaders called for empowering gram sabhas, indexing wages to inflation, and allocating 5% of GDP to rural jobs. The fast, pledged till assurances arrive, featured cultural performances blending folk songs with protest poetry.
Local administration deployed police yet maintained dialogue. BJP countered with development stats, but protesters remained unmoved, chanting ‘MGNREGA Zindabad.’ Social media erupted, trending #SaveMGNREGA nationwide.
This isn’t isolated – similar stirs brew in 10 districts. Congress positions itself as guardian of the poor, contrasting with ‘crony capitalism,’ per strategists.
As stars emerged, flames from diyas lit determined faces. The hunger strike tests political wills, potentially reshaping rural discourse ahead of 2024 polls.