Bengaluru, Jan 13 (PTI) Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday launched a sharp attack on the BJP-led Centre, alleging that the MGNREGA was repealed out of "allergy" to Mahatma Gandhi’s name.
He also called for sustained, people-led agitation until the law is restored and the new VB-G Ram G Act is withdrawn.
The CM alleged that the BJP "killed" Mahatma Gandhi as the RAM in the Viksit Bharat – Guarantee Rozgar and Ajivika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) represents Nathuram Godse, the "killer" of Gandhi, and not Lord Rama.
Addressing a preparatory meeting of the Mahatma Gandhi Employment Guarantee Scheme Bachao Sangram, organised by the Congress state unit here, Siddaramaiah said the struggle must continue "until MGNREGA is reinstated and the VB-G Ram G Act is repealed," urging party workers to turn it into a mass movement from the village to the state level.
The chief minister said, "The Centre has scrapped the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act and brought in a new law called VB-G RAM G. Mahatma Gandhi’s name itself causes them an allergy."
He said the issue was discussed seriously at the recent All India Congress Committee (AICC) executive committee meeting, which viewed the scrapping of MGNREGA as a grave matter.
Drawing parallels with farmers’ protests in north India, Siddaramaiah said a similar sustained movement was needed to force changes in laws. He recalled that MGNREGA was enacted during Manmohan Singh’s tenure to make the right to work a basic right for the rural poor.
"Along with employment guarantee, landmark laws like the Right to Food, Right to Information, Right to Education and Forest Rights Act were introduced to address unemployment, hunger and the problems of forest dwellers," he said.
The CM noted that the scheme, which had been in force for nearly 20 years, had provided employment to 12.16 crore workers across the country, including 6.21 crore women.
Criticising the replacement of law, Siddaramaiah alleged that the Modi government had diluted workers’ rights.
"Earlier, rural workers could demand work for up to 365 days in their own villages and even approach courts if work was denied. Now, the Centre decides through notifications where people should work," he said.
Taking a swipe, he remarked, "This is not Dasharatha Ram or Sita Ram or Kaushalya Ram. This is Nathuram — the one who killed Mahatma Gandhi. Through VB-G RAM G, Gandhi is being killed once again."
Siddaramaiah also objected to the increased financial burden on states, stating that states now have to bear 40 per cent of the cost, forcing Karnataka alone to spend around Rs 2,500 crore.
"That is why we have launched the MGNREGA Bachao Andolan. It must transform into a people’s movement," he said.
Addressing the gathering, Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar alleged that the Centre will decide the works and not the villages.
According to him, no state government will accept it. Even the BJP ruled states will not implement the scheme.
"Due to the VB-G RAM G, Panchayats will not be allowed to carry out works. After losing works worth Rs one crore to Rs two crore, what is left with the Panchayats," Shivakumar, who is also Congress state president, asked.
He asked his party cadres to hold meetings in every corner of the state to spread awareness about repealing the MGNREGA.
In his address, Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister Priyank Kharge said, the BJP hates Mahatma Gandhi so much that they abolished the law and snatched the livelihood of poor people in the rural areas.
He also preferred calling the new scheme as "VB-Gram G" and not VB-G RAM G as the BJP has called it.
"For us, the livelihood of people is important, not the name of the scheme, but the BJP wants to trap us between the names of Gandhi Ji and Ram. We should not go for that fight. You name whatever you want, but give our villagers employment. If needed, we will change the name of the scheme once our government comes to power," Kharge, son of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, said.
According to him, the "VB-Gram G" has been introduced to align it with PM Gati Shakti national master plan. PTI GMS GMS KH
