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Congress Leaders Detained During Massive Protest Against Central Government Over MGNREGA and ED Misuse

By Editor

Posted on December 22, 2025

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Congress Leaders Detained During Massive Protest Against Central Government Over MGNREGA and ED Misuse

Mangaluru: The Protest March and Police Intervention A massive protest organized by the District Congress Committee took place in Mangaluru on Monday, December 22, targeting the Central Government’s policies. The demonstration began at 10:45 AM with a “Padayatra” (march) from the Congress Bhavan in Mallikatte. The protesters intended to gherao (besiege) the District BJP office to register their dissent. However, as the march reached Kadri Gate, a large police contingent intercepted the protesters, leading to a tense standoff. To prevent any law and order situation, the police detained the leaders and workers, whisking them away in police buses.

Allegations of Sabotaging the MGNREGA Scheme Speaking at a press conference at the Congress office earlier that morning, AICC member Vijay Inder Singla launched a scathing attack on the BJP-led Center. He stated that the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), which was a lifeline for the rural poor and a dream of Mahatma Gandhi realized by the UPA-1 government, is being systematically destroyed. Singla highlighted that the funding pattern has been drastically altered; previously, the Center contributed 90% and the State 10%, but this has now been changed to a 60:40 ratio, placing a heavy burden on states. Furthermore, the new rule allowing work proposals only once a year, instead of periodically, is expected to significantly reduce employment opportunities for rural laborers.

Misuse of Central Agencies and Political Vendetta The protest also focused on the alleged misuse of autonomous bodies like the Enforcement Directorate (ED). Congress leaders accused the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government of orchestrating a conspiracy against party veterans Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi in the National Herald case. Singla termed the Delhi Court’s recent refusal to entertain the case as a “slap in the face” for the Central Government. He asserted that the party is ready to legally challenge any further attempts by the Center to appeal the decision, describing it as a clear instance of political vendetta.

Prominent Leaders Detained The protest saw the participation of several high-profile leaders who were subsequently detained by the police. These included former Minister Ramanath Rai, District Congress President Harish Kumar, MLCs Ivan D’Souza and Manjunath Bhandari, former MLA J.R. Lobo, Women’s Congress President Appi, and youth leaders Mithun Rai and Suhan Alva. During the detention, the activists raised slogans against the Central Government, expressing their outrage over the “undemocratic” suppression of their protest.