Congress rallies in Nabha for MGNREGA, asks Punjab to control crime

Patiala: The Congress on Tuesday staged a massive rally under ‘MGNREGA Bachao Sangram' at Nabha and held a separate protest in Patiala over what it described as "deteriorating law and order" in Punjab.Congress general secretary in-charge of Punjab Bhupesh Baghel and Punjab Congress president Amrinder Singh Raja Warring, who were joined by Patiala MP Dharamvira Gandhi, alleged that the BJP govt at the Centre was the biggest enemy of farmers, the poor and labourers, and said the change of MGNREGA law proved it.During the protest over law and order, Congress leaders said the CM Bhagwant Singh Mann-led govt had failed to safeguard lives. Addressing the rally, Baghel claimed that PM Narendra Modi had "surrendered" farmers' interests by allowing agricultural and dairy imports under international agreements". He said the Congress would oppose any move detrimental to the farming community. He said Modi was the first Prime Minister in India's history who had allowed the import of dairy and agriculture products.Accusing Mann of being the B-team of BJP, Baghel questioned his silence against the changing of MGNREGA. Warring described MGNREGA as the "first law that granted the right to work" and credited former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress leader Sonia Gandhi for introducing it to prevent "anarchy and lawlessness" arising from hunger and unemployment. He accused BJP of selling off public assets and favouring corporates, alleging that "80% of the country's wealth is concentrated in the hands of two individuals" while the poor were being deprived of employment opportunities.Warring questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi's claims of extending work guarantees and doubling farmers' incomes, asking whether workers even received the mandated 100 days of employment under MGNREGA. "If they did not get 50 days, how will they get 125 days?" he asked, terming the announcements as "bluff".Maintaining that the Centre could have increased daily wages to Rs 700 if intentions were clear, he said the Congress would continue its agitation until the scheme was fully restored.Former minister Sadhu Singh Dharamsot, former MLA Randeep Nabha, Gurkirat Kotli, Aruna Chaudhar, PYC president Mohit Mohindra, Capt Sandeep Sandhu and others attended the rally.