New Delhi, Dec 20: Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Saturday mounted a sharp attack on the PM Narendra Modi-led government, accusing it of systematically running a “bulldozer” over the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) and undermining the rights of rural poor, farmers and landless workers, terming it an “assault on rural livelihoods”.

This comes two days after the Parliament passed the VB-G RAM G Bill 2025, which escalated into a major political slugfest between the government and the opposition.

In a video message shared by the Congress on X, Gandhi recalled the passage of the landmark employment guarantee law nearly two decades ago during the tenure of former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh.

She said MGNREGA was passed with broad consensus in Parliament and proved to be a “revolutionary step” that provided livelihood security to crores of rural families, particularly the most deprived and marginalised.

“The law stopped distress migration by ensuring employment in one’s own village, strengthened gram panchayats and gave a legal right to work,” Gandhi said, adding that the scheme embodied Mahatma Gandhi’s vision of Gram Swaraj.

She noted that MGNREGA acted as a lifeline for the poor during the COVID-19 pandemic.

However, the Congress leader alleged that over the past 11 years, the Modi government had made repeated attempts to dilute the scheme by ignoring the interests of the rural unemployed and poor.

She expressed “deep anguish” over what she described as recent unilateral changes to the programme.

“Without consultation, discussion or taking the opposition into confidence, the government has altered the very structure of MGNREGA. Even Mahatma Gandhi’s name has been removed,” Sonia Gandhi claimed.

She warned that decisions on who gets work, how much employment is provided and where it is offered are now being taken “from Delhi, far removed from ground realities”.

Emphasising that MGNREGA was never a party-specific initiative, Gandhi said the Congress may have played a key role in bringing the law, but it was always meant to serve national and public interest.

“By weakening this law, the government has attacked the rights of crores of farmers, labourers and landless rural poor,” she said.

Gandhi asserted that the Congress was fully prepared to resist what she termed an assault on rural livelihoods. “I fought for the employment guarantee law 20 years ago, and I remain committed to fighting this ‘black law’ today,” she said, adding that Congress leaders and workers stood firmly with the people.

New Delhi, Dec 20: A total of 38 railway projects (11 new lines, 2 gauge conversion and 25 doubling) of a total length of 5,098 kms and costing Rs 89,780 crore have been sanctioned in Maharashtra (as on April 1, 2025), the government said on Saturday.

During the last three fiscals — 2022-23, 2023-24, 2024-25 and the current financial year 2025-26 — 98 surveys (29 New Line, 2 Gauge Conversion and 67 Doubling) of total length 8,603 km falling fully/partly in the state of Maharashtra, have been sanctioned, it said.

“Further, construction works on the flagship High-Speed Bullet Train project have gathered momentum in Maharashtra. Now 100 per cent of land acquisition has been completed. Works on bridges, aqueducts, etc. have been taken up,” the Railways Ministry said in a statement.

In addition, platform extension work at 34 stations to accommodate 15-car EMUs has been taken up.

To improve the capacity of the rail network in the Mumbai suburban area, the Mumbai Urban Transport Project (MUTP)-II costing Rs 8,087 crore, MUTP-III costing Rs 10,947 crore, and MUTP-IIIA costing Rs 33,690 crore have been sanctioned.

To enhance passenger carrying capacity, 238 rakes of 12 cars each with doors have been sanctioned under MUTP-III and IIIA at a cost of Rs 19,293 crore. The process for the procurement of these rakes has been taken up.

With Western DFC also passing through Maharashtra, as about 178 route km of it or about 12 per cent of the overall route length, falling in the state, the ministry said that “about 76 km of this project from New Gholvad to New Vaitarna in Maharashtra has already been commissioned. Balance works have been taken up. Connectivity of WDFC to JNPT will boost the capacity to handle cargo and container traffic from the port to Delhi NCR”.

Presently, about 120 originating Mail/Express trains and about 3,200 suburban trains are handled daily in the Mumbai area.

New Delhi, Dec 20: Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Saturday voiced serious concern over what he described as targeted attacks on prominent media houses in violence-hit Bangladesh, while also condemning the forced suspension of visa services at Indian Assistant High Commissions in Khulna and Rajshahi amid worsening security conditions.

Bangladesh has witnessed a fresh wave of unrest following the death of radical Islamist leader Sharif Osman Hadi, who rose to prominence during the 2024 student movement that culminated in the ouster of the then Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

The killing has triggered widespread protests, with violence reported in Dhaka and several other parts of the country.

Protests over the death of Inqilab Moncho leader Hadi have continued to escalate, and the mobs targeted leading media organisations and locations associated with Bangladesh’s secular legacy. Reports of arson and vandalism at media establishments have sparked alarm both within the country and internationally.

Reacting to the developments, Tharoor said the attacks on the press strike at the core of democratic values.

In a post on X, he said: “Deeply concerned by the reports from Bangladesh. The targeted mob attacks and arson at the offices of Prothom Alo and The Daily Star are more than just an assault on two media houses; they are an assault on the freedom of the press and the very foundation of a pluralistic society.”

The Congress MP also expressed concern about the safety of journalists, including senior editors. He said he was worried about the well-being of Editor Mahfuz Anam and other media professionals working under increasingly hostile conditions.

Amid the unrest, India was compelled to shut down two visa application centres in Bangladesh, citing security threats. In Rajshahi, a march was organised by a group called ‘July 36 Mancha’ towards the Indian Assistant High Commission. The procession advanced towards the diplomatic mission but was halted midway following police intervention.

Similar demonstrations were also reported in Khulna, prompting authorities to suspend visa-related operations at both locations.

Condemning the disruption, Tharoor said the suspension of services would have far-reaching consequences.

“The forced suspension of visa services at the Indian Assistant High Commissions in Khulna and Rajshahi, driven by escalating security threats, is a major setback. This disruption directly impacts students, patients, and families who were finally seeing a glimpse of normalisation in cross-border mobility,” he said.

With Bangladesh scheduled to hold national elections on February 12, 2026, Tharoor warned that this atmosphere of violence and intolerance “bodes ill for the democratic process”.

The Congress leader also outlined steps for the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government to ensure stability and democratic continuity in the country.

Emphasising the need for decisive action, he said: “Protection of Journalists: Journalists should not have to post frantic messages for their lives while their offices burn. Mob rule must not be allowed to prevail.”

He further mentioned that the security of diplomatic facilities must be ensured to maintain vital people-to-people ties. “Extra protection must be provided for targeted embassies & consulates,” he said.

“Constructive dialogue must replace ochlocracy if the country is to survive this transition with any semblance of democracy. Interim Chief Mohammed Yunus must take the lead personally to ensure this,” he added, stressing the need to restore the calm.

Tharoor underscored that peace in Bangladesh holds significance beyond its borders, noting that stability in the country is “vital” for South Asia as a whole.

“We hope for a return to peace and a safe environment where the voice of the people is heard through the ballot, not through violence and intimidation,” he added.