Haryana/Hisar: On the occasion of the martyrdom day of the Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi, a symbolic protest was organized by the Hisar District Congress Committee (Rural) at the Mahatma Gandhi statue at Gandhi Chowk, as per the instructions of the Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee, to highlight issues related to MNREGA.
The protest was led by the President of the Hisar District Congress Committee (Rural), Brijlal Bahbalpuria. During this time, Congress leaders and workers offered floral tributes to the statue of Mahatma Gandhi.
On this occasion, Brijlal Bahbalpuria said that Mahatma Gandhi is not just a person but an idea. He dedicated his entire life to truth, non-violence, and the rights of the poor. His sacrifice still guides the country towards social justice and equality.
He said that the Congress government had launched the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MNREGA) in the name of Mahatma Gandhi, the objective of which was to provide employment to poor and needy families. However, today the central government is trying to weaken Mahatma Gandhi's ideals and legacy by making changes to this scheme.
He alleged that earlier, 90 percent of the MNREGA budget was borne by the central government and 10 percent by the state government, but under the new system, the Haryana government will have to bear 40 percent of the expenditure. Since the Haryana government is already heavily indebted, this scheme is not being implemented properly.
Brijlal Bahbalpuria said that the BJP government is talking about providing 125 days of employment, but the reality is that the old MNREGA scheme is being weakened, and laborers are neither getting work on time nor being paid on time.
He also accused the Haryana government of cutting the pensions of the elderly and said that there are many elderly people in the villages, aged 70 to 80 years, who have no employment, yet their pensions have been stopped by increasing their income in the Family ID. The Congress party strongly opposes this.
At the end of the program, he said that Gandhi's dream was that even the person standing in the last row should live a life of dignity, but today's policies are harming that very person the most. Congress leaders warned that if the government does not stop neglecting the interests of MNREGA workers and senior citizens, the Congress party will intensify the agitation in the coming days. Present on the occasion were former minister Subhash Goyal, former minister Antar Singh Saini, former MLA Ramniwas Ghodela, Haryana Pradesh Mahila Congress in-charge Uma Soni, AICC National Secretary Sakshi Chaudhary, PCC member and former Barwala candidate Bhupendra Singh Gangwa, senior leader Dharamveer Goyat, former Chairman Karan Singh Ranoliya, former Chairman Sukhbir Singh Dudi, senior leader Daljit Panghal, youth leader Anand Jakhar, Haryana Pradesh Mahila Vice President Advocate Kamal Sehrawat, Women District President Rural Santosh June, KCC State Vice President Geeta Ahuja, senior women leader Krishna Duggal, senior leader Anoop Singh Sarsana, State President KCC Naresh Malik, District Councilor Ashish Kumar alias Kuki, former Minority Chairman Victor David, State Spokesperson Sukhbir Nagar, Krishan Kumar, Seva Dal Sandeep Sihag Mill Gate, Baldev Jangra, Sulochana Sihag, Saroj Sheoran, Suresh Valmiki, Rajkumar Jangra, Ramphal, Retired Employees Cell State Vice President Randhir Bamal, Ramesh Chahar, Paramjit Mawalia, Kapil Sheoran, Bhajan Lal, Dilbagh Dheenwas, Rajesh Dabda, Satyawan Nambardar Khokha, Dinesh Punia, Harish Sharma, Surajmal, Roop Singh, Abhimanyu, Deepak Rohila, Satbir Verma, Subhash Chandra Sadhu Ram Patan, Kanwar Singh, Anil Berwal, Devat Ram, Veer Bhan Singh, Pawan Nain, Abhimanyu Kadian, Jitender Hisar, Krishan Kumar Hisar, and hundreds of other supporters.