No Compromise on MGNREGA, Fight Will Reach Parliament If Name Is Not Restored: Dr Irfan Ansari

Ranchi | January 11, 2026

The Congress party on Sunday staged a strong protest and observed a one-day fast at Morabadi Ground in Ranchi in front of the statue of Mahatma Gandhi, opposing the alleged tampering and renaming of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) by the BJP-led Central Government.

The protest was attended by Jharkhand Health Minister Dr Irfan Ansari, Jharkhand Pradesh Congress Committee president Keshav Mahto Kamlesh, working president Bandhu Tirkey, former state president Rajesh Thakur, senior leaders Pradeep Tulsiyan and Shamsher Alam, Ranchi Metropolitan Congress president Kumar Raja, party spokesperson Rakesh Sinha, Congress leader Ravindra Singh, and a large number of party workers.

Addressing the gathering, Health Minister Dr Irfan Ansari issued a strong warning to the Central Government, stating that MGNREGA is a lifeline for the poor, farmers, and labourers. He said that if the BJP government does not restore the name of the scheme and stop interfering with it, the Congress will intensify its agitation from the streets to Parliament.

Dr Ansari said that the Congress party understands the pain of farmers, workers, and the poor whenever they face hardship. With this spirit, the party observed a one-day fast to protest against what he termed the anti-people policies of the BJP government.

He further stated that whenever the rights of the poor have been attacked in the country, the Congress has stood like a shield to protect them. Even today, he said, the Congress remains the only reliable political option for the common people.

Highlighting the origins of the scheme, Dr Ansari said that MGNREGA was introduced by the Congress party under the leadership of Sonia Gandhi, providing employment and dignity to crores of poor families. Any attempt to weaken the scheme, he warned, would push vulnerable sections towards hunger, unemployment, and migration.

Launching a sharp attack on the BJP, the Health Minister said the Central Government lacks vision and long-term thinking, and is only focused on the politics of renaming schemes. He added that changing names has neither increased employment nor reduced inflation, nor improved the lives of the poor.

During the one-day fast, Dr Ansari ensured that health check-ups of all leaders and workers were conducted by a team from the Health Department. After the examinations confirmed that everyone was healthy, the fast was formally concluded.

Congress leaders stated that the agitation is being carried out across Jharkhand. Party workers in all districts have resolved that any attempt to tamper with MGNREGA will not be tolerated, and the BJP government will be forced to withdraw what they described as a “black law.”