MGNREGA Bachao Sangram Yatra concludes in Hyderabad with call to intensify struggle

Hyderabad: The MGNREGA Bachao Sangram Yatra organised by the Hyderabad District Congress Committee concluded on Monday with a rally from Nalgonda X Road to TV Tower at Moosrambagh.

The three-day yatra began on January 24. It aimed to oppose what the Congress described as the dilution of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act by the Union government. Through the march, party leaders sought to take the issue directly to the public.

Hyderabad DCC president Syed Khalid Saifullah addressed the concluding rally. He said MGNREGA was a constitutional right and not a government favour. Moreover, he alleged that the Centre was weakening the scheme by centralising control and promoting contractor-driven execution.

The final day saw wide participation from Congress leaders and workers. Assembly in-charges Rajesh Kumar Pulipati, B. Nagesh, Mohmmed Mujeebullah Shareef, Shaik Akbar and K. Ravi Raj joined the march. In addition, Karwan Assembly in-charge Osman Al Hajri and several local leaders walked in solidarity.

Congress sharpens criticism during MGNREGA Bachao Sangram Yatra

Congress leaders accused the Modi government of making four major changes to MGNREGA. They said the Centre removed the legal guarantee of employment. They also alleged that it weakened assured minimum wages and reduced the role of Panchayats.

Furthermore, leaders claimed that the Centre shifted a higher share of wage costs to State governments. As a result, they warned that States could struggle to implement the scheme effectively.

Senior leaders, including former MP V. Hanumatha Rao and AICC Secretary Sachin Sawant, joined earlier phases of the yatra. They cautioned that the changes would hurt rural families the most. According to them, women and marginalised communities depend heavily on MGNREGA for livelihood security.

The yatra passed through major Assembly segments in Hyderabad. These included Charminar, Yakutpura, Bahadurpura, Chandrayangutta and Malakpet. Meanwhile, party leaders said the campaign received strong grassroots support at every location.

As the yatra concluded on Republic Day, Congress leaders vowed to continue their agitation. They said the party would resist what it called the corporatisation of rural employment. Therefore, they pledged to fight for the restoration of MGNREGA’s original spirit.