Daijiworld Media Network – Raebareli

Raebareli, Jan 20: Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of attempting to centralise power and weakening welfare safeguards for the poor, alleging that the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) had been systematically undermined.

Addressing Congress workers during his visit to Raebareli, his parliamentary constituency, Gandhi said the government had “insulted” MGNREGA by changing its name and, more significantly, by withdrawing the security it provided to marginalised sections of society. He described the move as an attack on the very roots of democracy.

“The Congress is running a nationwide movement to protect MGNREGA. We stand firmly with labourers and are committed to safeguarding their rights,” he said.

The Congress MP further alleged that Prime Minister Modi wanted the country’s wealth to be concentrated in the hands of a few industrialists, naming Gautam Adani and Mukesh Ambani. “On one side, we are protecting the people, while on the other, Narendra Modi is diverting the country’s entire wealth to a select few,” he claimed.

Earlier in the day, Gandhi inaugurated a cricket tournament in Raebareli. During his two-day visit to the constituency, he also held meetings with party office-bearers and workers.

Parliament on December 18, 2025, passed the Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) Bill, which replaces the nearly 20-year-old UPA-era MGNREGA and guarantees 125 days of rural wage employment annually.

The bill was cleared amid strong opposition protests, with Union minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan stating that the new legislation was necessary to address shortcomings in the earlier scheme. Opposition parties, however, objected to the removal of Mahatma Gandhi’s name from the law and accused the Centre of shifting the financial burden onto states.