Congress Protest on MGNREGA ‘White Lie Politics’, Says Harsh Mahajan

Shimla: BJP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Harsh Mahajan sharply criticised the Congress-led Himachal Pradesh government for its protest at Shimla’s Ridge over MGNREGA, calling it misleading and politically motivated. He said Congress was falsely claiming that MGNREGA had been scrapped, while in reality the Centre has introduced a stronger framework under the Viksit Bharat–Rural Employment and Livelihood Mission, offering 125 days of guaranteed employment, up from 100 earlier.

Mahajan said the new mission, backed by an outlay of over ₹1.51 lakh crore, will directly benefit panchayats by prioritising works related to water conservation, roads, drainage, schools, health centres and livelihood creation. He accused Congress of spreading misinformation to hide its administrative failures and financial mismanagement in the state.

Calling the Ridge protest an attempt to divert public attention, Mahajan said the Centre’s vision of “Developed Villages for a Developed India” would strengthen rural infrastructure and ensure equitable resource distribution. He added that Himachal’s people are aware of the truth and will not be misled by what he termed Congress’s “politics of confusion.”