Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], January 30 (ANI): The Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee on Friday observed a two-hour symbolic fast at the historic Ridge ground in Shimla on the occasion of Martyrs' Day, demanding the restoration of MGNREGA in its original form and the withdrawal of the VG-RAM-G scheme.

Senior Congress leaders, including Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, All India Congress Committee (AICC) Himachal Pradesh in-charge Rajni Patil, Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri, cabinet ministers, MLAs, and party leaders, held a dharna under the statue of Mahatma Gandhi from 11 am to 1 pm.

Speaking to the media, Chief Minister Sukhu said MGNREGA was the only scheme that generated employment opportunities during the COVID-19 period. 'The BJP government has finished MGNREGA. By finishing, I mean that while the name has been changed, its soul has been completely destroyed,' he said.

He added that panchayat representatives no longer have the powers they earlier enjoyed.

Recalling the origins of the scheme, Sukhu said, 'Dr Manmohan Singh and Smt Sonia Gandhi envisioned this programme so that India's population could get employment at their doorstep, fully funded by the Government of India.' He said the law mandated employment opportunities within a two-kilometre radius of villages or payment of unemployment allowance, a provision that existed for nearly two decades.

'The BJP government has struck at the livelihood of rural youth, labourers, the poor and women who sustained their families through MGNREGA. Even elderly villagers who depended on this work have been hit,' Sukhu said. He alleged that under the new scheme, the Centre has imposed a 90:10 funding condition, whereas earlier the funding was entirely borne by the Centre, terming it 'discriminatory against Himachal Pradesh.'

He further said that small but crucial rural works, such as kuccha roads, water tanks, and other local projects, have also been discontinued. 'This is why the Congress party has observed a two-hour fast across the country today,' he added.

On concerns raised by apple growers over the Centre's free trade agreements and reduction in import duty on foreign apples, the Chief Minister said such policies would adversely affect Himachal's fruit market. He said he recently met Union Minister Piyush Goyal and other senior ministers, following which a joint team comprising central and state representatives would assess the impact.

Referring to apple imports from New Zealand, Sukhu said, 'Talks of reducing import duty to 25 per cent will cause huge losses to our orchardists.' He added that Himachal has suffered losses due to GST implementation, GST rationalisation and import duty decisions. 'That is why I repeatedly say Himachal must stand on its own feet, protect its resources and become self-reliant,' he said, also warning against increasing centralisation of power.

Responding to incidents in Uttarakhand involving an attack on a youth from Jammu and Kashmir and similar concerns in Himachal, the Chief Minister said, 'Ensuring the safety of every Indian citizen is our constitutional duty, irrespective of who they are.'

AICC in-charge and MP Rajni Patil said the party had decided to hold a nationwide agitation from January 15 to February 5. 'MGNREGA, which was the dream of Sonia Gandhi and Dr Manmohan Singh to guarantee work to the poorest, is being dismantled,' she said. She added that the symbolic fast at Gandhi's statue reflected Mahatma Gandhi's ideals of truth and his call to 'go to the villages,' he said.

Patil also said meetings of various Congress front organisations would be held in Himachal Pradesh under the party's organisational strengthening campaign, with efforts underway to expedite panchayat-level restructuring. On questions regarding Rajya Sabha vacancies from Himachal, she said it was 'too early to comment.'

Asked about the Economic Survey and the Centre's projected GDP growth, Patil declined to comment, saying she would respond only after studying the survey in detail. (ANI)