“Shining achievements of any nation’s development are possible only because of the tireless efforts and sweat of the workers who lay its foundation.” These were the words of Congress national spokesperson Shaktisinh Gohil, who addressed a press conference highlighting the issue of crores of rupees in wages unpaid to hardworking labourers in Gujarat since June 20, 2026.
Gohil, a national spokesperson of the All India Congress Committee (AICC) and former Rajya Sabha MP, accused the BJP-led Gujarat government of neglecting MGNREGA workers who have not received payment for their work.
MGNREGA Mandates Payment Within 15 Days
Gohil said the MGNREGA law was introduced under the UPA government when Dr Manmohan Singh was Prime Minister and Sonia Gandhi was UPA chairperson. The scheme was designed to ensure that rural workers had access to employment and could support their families through daily wages.
He said the law clearly provides that workers must receive payment for their work directly into their bank accounts within 15 days.
₹2.66 Crore in Workers’ Wages Pending in Bhavnagar
Citing Bhavnagar district as an example, Gohil said ₹2,66,01,850 in wages owed to MGNREGA workers remained unpaid for several months. He added that payments of ₹1,44,313 to MGNREGA supervisors, known as mates, were also pending in the district.
Gohil said these were not merely political allegations but figures recorded in official documents.
He presented the media with a copy of a letter dated September 17, 2026, written by the Director of the District Rural Development Agency (DRDA), Bhavnagar, to the Commissioner of Rural Development. The letter reportedly detailed pending payments across different talukas and referred to the 15-day payment requirement under MGNREGA.
Workers Threaten Protests Over Delayed Payments
According to Gohil, the official letter also mentioned that frustrated workers were threatening protests and suicide because of the delayed payments.
He expressed concern that Navratri and Dussehra had passed, yet workers had still not received their wages.
Gohil also questioned the contrast between workers struggling to receive their rightful earnings and allegations of corruption involving former BJP ministers and other leaders in the MGNREGA scheme.
Congress Demands Immediate Payment and Accountability
Gohil put forward five demands on behalf of the Congress party:
Immediate payment of all pending MGNREGA wages to workers across Gujarat.
Criminal proceedings against officials responsible for the delays, with accountability fixed for payments withheld for months despite the 15-day requirement.
Interest payments to workers for the delayed wages.
A public apology from the Gujarat government for failing to pay workers their rightful earnings on time.
An appeal to workers who have threatened suicide not to take any extreme step.
Gohil urged the government to take the matter seriously and ensure that workers receive the money they have earned through their labour.
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