Criticise Congress, but don’t take away rights of poor: Kharge to Modi

NEW DELHI: Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Friday said that the people in rural India are forced to wander from door-to-door in search of work under MGNREGA while Prime Minister Narendra Modi was "hiding his failures" by criticising the Congress in poll-bound states.

“The economic crisis in rural India is so deep that in September the demand for MGNREGA has increased by 30 per cent in four years. Instead of doing anything about it, the Prime Minister is cursing the Congress in election states for hiding its monstrous failures under speeches,” Congress President wrote on X.

He said that due to drastically decreasing household income and inflation, crores of people are forced to wander from door-to-door in search of work under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).

“The situation is that only four per cent funds are left in the MGNREGA budget. The country remembers that in budget 2023, the Modi government had cut the MGNREGA budget by 33 per cent, as a result of which poor families are suffering, funds of opposition ruled states are also outstanding. You can say whatever bad or good you want to Congress, but do not take away the rights of the poor,” the Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha said.

Kharge's remarks come a day after the Prime Minister slammed the Ashok Gehlot government in Rajasthan over exam paper leaks, corruption and law and order, saying it cared only for its “vote bank” and not the people of Rajasthan.

The Congress has been critical of the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre over the issues of rising inflation and the handling of the economy.