The ruling Congress party in Karnataka staged a significant demonstration in Bengaluru on Saturday, voicing strong opposition to the central government's decision to rebrand the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act. The protest also served as a platform to accuse the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of engaging in divisive politics targeting the Congress leadership in the ongoing National Herald legal case.
Massive Gathering at Freedom Park
The protest was organized at the historic Freedom Park in the state capital. The event saw a large turnout of party members, including senior leaders, office-bearers, and elected legislators. The demonstration was spearheaded by the state Congress president and Deputy Chief Minister, DK Shivakumar, who addressed the assembled crowd.
Allegations of Erasing Gandhi's Legacy
In his address, Shivakumar launched a sharp critique against the BJP-led central government. He asserted that the move to change the name of the flagship rural employment scheme from MGNREGA to 'Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin)' was a deliberate attempt to remove Mahatma Gandhi's name from a crucial welfare program. "They want to kill this scheme," Shivakumar declared, emphasizing the symbolic and practical importance of the original name.
He warned that this decision would spark a major political movement across Karnataka. The protest underscored the party's view that the renaming is not merely a semantic change but part of a broader pattern to diminish the contributions of historical figures associated with the opposition.
Linking to National Herald Case
Beyond the issue of the scheme's name, the Congress leaders used the platform to counterattack against the BJP concerning the National Herald case. They alleged that the BJP is indulging in "hate politics" aimed at the Congress high command through this legal proceeding. This connection framed the protest as a dual stand against both policy decisions and perceived political targeting.
The protest highlights the escalating political tensions between the Congress-ruled state and the BJP-led central government. It sets the stage for further confrontations on both ideological grounds—over the legacy of Mahatma Gandhi and welfare schemes—and on the political battlefield involving investigative agencies and court cases.
