‘Erasing Gandhi is a global insult’: Karnataka Minister Mahadevappa announces protests against VB-G RAM G Act

Mysuru: Mysuru District in-charge Minister H C Mahadevappa said, protests will be held in all levels, up to the Grama Panchayat level – district, taluk and hobli – against the replacement of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) with Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Grameen), or VB-G RAM G Act.

Addressing a media conference, at the Congress office, in Mysuru, on Monday, Mahadevappa, also Karnataka Social Welfare Minister, said, the BJP-led NDA government, at the Centre, removing the name of Mahatma Gandhi from the scheme is a global insult to the nation as he is revered across the globe.

Admired by British

“Gandhiji was lauded by even the British. The last British Governor General of India, Lord Mountbatten, once said that for him there was only one God, Jesus, earlier. But, after seeing Gandhiji, he became Mountbatten’s second God. However, they (referring to the BJP) first killed Gandhiji. Now, they want to erase him from history. The BJP has changed several names since forming the government in 2014. But, the people are suffering, as there is no proper development,” he said.

Mahadevappa said, the BJP government is replacing the MGNREGA Scheme, introduced by the Congress-led UPA government in 2005, in an unconstitutional way, violating the Right to Work and Right to Live of the citizens.

Burden

“The effects of the change are political, economical and constitutional. It is an attempt to undermine the cooperative federalism in India, as the states were not consulted. Already Karnataka is not getting its share of funds from the Centre. Now, VB-G RAM G Act will be a further burden, as the funding ratio has been changed from 90:10 to 60:40 to benefit the Centre,” he said.

Stating that the BJP government, at the Centre, is acting like a dictator, Mahadevappa said, the Union government is not concerned about the poor people, 19 crore across India, who are dependent on the MGNREGA Scheme for a living, in the absence of proper employment opportunities in rural areas.

Anti-poor

Mahadevappa said, MANREGA Scheme was the realisation of the ideals of Grama Swaraj and Antyodaya of Mahatma Gandhi. “But, the BJP is acting against the interests of the poor people and is changing its decentralised character. Earlier the works were decided in Grama Sabhas to create assets. Now, the Centre will finalise the works and the contractors will implement them. This is not at all an employment guarantee scheme, as it does not allow benefits to the people for 60 days, during harvest season,” he pointed out.

Admitting that there were some irregularities in the MANREGA Scheme implementation, Mahadevappa said, he introduced social auditing and nomination of an Ombudsman at the district level, to check this, when he was Rural Development Minister.

Ex-MLA M K Somasekhar, district (city) Congress president R Murthy and district (rural) Congress president B J Vijayakumar were present in the press meet.