In a sharp critique of the central government, Karnataka's district-in-charge minister Dinesh Gundu Rao has alleged a deliberate attempt to erase Mahatma Gandhi's name from a flagship rural employment scheme. The minister raised the issue with reporters in Mangaluru on Friday, condemning the replacement of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) with a new law.
Allegations of Ideological Erasure
Minister Rao did not mince words, stating that the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at the centre has never held Mahatma Gandhi in high regard. "Deep inside their mind, they never held a good opinion about Mahatma Gandhi," Rao asserted. He suggested that public mentions of Gandhi by BJP leaders were merely situational necessities. The core of his accusation is that the government has "bulldozed" the MGNREGS by enacting the Viksit Bharat — Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Act, popularly referred to as the VB–G RAM G Act.
Concerns Over Implementation and Women Workers
Rao highlighted a critical lack of clarity from the Centre on how the new scheme will be implemented. He pointed out that the restructured job guarantee programme fails to provide clear guidelines, creating uncertainty. A major point of concern is the impact on women workers. Under MGNREGS, 53% of labourers are women. In Karnataka specifically, there are over 73 lakh active job cards, with 36.7 lakh held by women. Rao criticized the state BJP unit for remaining silent and supporting an act that he believes weakens this crucial safety net.
The minister outlined several key flaws in the new legislation:
- Financial Burden on States: States will now have to bear 40% of the scheme's cost, placing an additional fiscal strain on them.
- Loss of Guarantee: The fundamental 'guarantee' of employment, a cornerstone of MGNREGS, is absent in the new act.
- Lack of Consultation: The law was introduced without consulting state governments or other stakeholders.
Attack on Decentralisation and Gram Panchayat Autonomy
Rao further alleged that the VB–G RAM G Act undermines the principle of decentralisation. Under the old MGNREGS framework, gram panchayats had significant economic autonomy, implementing works worth about Rs 1 crore annually. The new act strips this away, with the Centre taking direct decisions on the types of works to be undertaken, bypassing gram sabhas. This centralisation of power, according to the minister, is against the spirit of local governance.
In response to these changes, Dinesh Gundu Rao announced that the Congress party would intensify its protests across the nation. The party's primary demand will be the complete restoration of the original Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), preserving its name, guarantee, and decentralised structure.
