“We Will Not Tolerate This Attack on Workers’ Rights”: HPCC President Rao Narender Singh on February 25 Vidhan Sabha Gherao

Faridabad: Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee (HPCC) President Rao Narender Singh on Sunday held a strategy meeting with party workers at Magpie Tourist Complex during his visit to Faridabad to prepare for the proposed gherao of the Haryana Vidhan Sabha on February 25. The protest has been called by Haryana Congress Committee against the changes made by BJP government in the MGNREGA scheme. The meeting was chaired by Lakhan Kumar Singla, Coordinator of the ‘MGNREGA Bachao Sangram’ Haryana. Addressing the gathering, Rao Narender Singh said the MGNREGA scheme, launched during the Congress regime, was aimed at providing employment to labourers to support their families. He alleged that BJP government is not only changing the name of the scheme but also modifying it with the intention of shutting it down, which, he claimed, would render 90 percent of workers jobless. “The Congress party will not tolerate this attack on workers’ rights at any cost,” he asserted, terming the move as anti-labour and authoritarian. He informed that as per the scheduled programme, Congress workers will march on foot from the Haryana Congress office to the Vidhan Sabha on February 25 and stage a peaceful protest to “awaken the silent and insensitive BJP government” and compel it to reconsider its decision in the interest of labourers. Lakhan Kumar Singla welcomed the State President and said preparations for the protest are in full swing, with party workers showing strong enthusiasm. He stated that apart from Rao Narender Singh, Leader of Opposition and former CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda and coordinators and district presidents of MGNREGA Bachao Sangram from across Haryana, along with senior Congress leaders, will participate in the demonstration. He added that a large number of Congress workers from Faridabad and other districts will join the protest to raise a strong voice for labourers and pressure BJP government to withdraw what he described as a dictatorial decision. Among those present at the meeting were State Spokesperson Sumit Gaur, Gurugram District Congress President Pankaj Dabar, Sudhir Chaudhary, former Chairman Abdul Gaffar Qureshi, Dalchand Dagar, and several other Congress workers.