Addressing party supporters, Congress leaders warned that any rollback of MGNREGA would severely affect farmers, daily wage labourers and economically weaker communities who rely on the scheme for livelihood security. They accused the central government of undermining hard-won social welfare guarantees and ignoring the economic realities faced by rural households.
The protest escalated when Jammu and Kashmir Police intervened to prevent Congress workers from proceeding. According to the party, police personnel attempted to disperse the demonstrators and sealed the main entrance of the Congress headquarters in Jammu, effectively restricting their movement. Congress leaders alleged that some workers were subjected to force during the intervention, an action the party described as unjustified and heavy-handed.
Condemning the police action, the Congress said such measures were aimed at suppressing democratic dissent and silencing opposition voices on issues of public importance. Party representatives maintained that raising concerns over employment rights and welfare schemes was a legitimate democratic exercise and should not be met with administrative curbs.
Reaffirming its stance, the Congress declared that pressure tactics would not deter it from opposing what it termed “authoritarian decisions” by the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government. The party vowed to continue its agitation against any move that weakens MGNREGA, framing the issue as part of a broader struggle to protect democratic values and socio-economic rights in Jammu and Kashmir and across the country.
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