New Delhi: Leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi on December 27 accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of “single handedly destroying” the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) and said that the legislation was repealed without consulting the cabinet. Gandhi’s remarks came after the Congress Working Committee (CWC) held a meeting on Saturday and announced that a nationwide ‘MGNREGA Bachao Abhiyan’ will be launched from January 5.“MGNREGA was not just a scheme, but rather an idea based on the right to work. Through MGNREGA, minimum wages were ensured for crores of people in the country. MGNREGA was a means of direct political participation and financial support in Panchayati Raj. This is being destroyed single-handedly by the Prime Minister without consulting his Cabinet and without studying the matter,” said Gandhi while addressing a press conference after the CWC meeting.Gandhi said that by repealing MGNREGA the Modi government is attacking the federal structure, and the decision was taken directly by the PMO without consulting the cabinet.“The Modi government is attacking the idea of rights and the federal structure. The Modi government is snatching money from the states. This is centralisation of power and centralisation of finance. This harms the country and the poor people. This decision has been taken directly from the Prime Minister’s Office and this decision has been taken without consulting the ministers or the cabinet. This shows that a one-man show is running in the country.”Gandhi also said that the move to repeal MGNREGA will “benefit few capitalists like Gautam Adani”.“That is the purpose of this exercise: to take money away from poor people and hand it to people like Adani,” he said.At the press conference, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said that the CWC had taken an oath to launch a campaign on MGNREGA.“At the CWC meeting, we took an oath that a campaign would be launched with MGNREGA as its focal point. The Congress will take the lead and start a MGNREGA Bachao Abhiyan from January 5,” he said.On December 19, on the eve of the end of the winter session, MGNREGA, the world’s largest guarantee for 100 days of work in rural areas, was repealed by parliament at midnight as the Rajya Sabha passed the Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) which repeals the United Progressive Alliance-era (UPA-era) law.A day before the bill was passed in the Lok Sabha amid opposition protests. Opposition members had demanded that the bill be sent to a select committee, highlighting over centralisation and the fiscal burden on states with the legislation now providing for the state governments to bear 40% of the share as against the 90% held by the centre earlier.