‘They wanted to change Gandhi’s name, kill scheme’: DyCM DK Shivakumar on VB-G-RAM-G Bill

BENGALURU: Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Saturday vowed to launch a big movement in the state against the VB-G-RAM-G Bill passed in Parliament, alleging that the Centre aimed to change Mahatma Gandhi’s name and wanted to kill the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).

Speaking to the media, Shivakumar said, “They wanted to change Gandhi’s name. They wanted to kill this scheme. A big movement will start against this decision in Karnataka.”

Earlier, Deputy CM mounted a sharp attack against the Bharatiya Janata Party, asserting that the identity and legacy of Mahatma Gandhi cannot be erased.

Asked about the renaming of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) to Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Bill, 2025, DK Shivakumar told reporters, “They can’t change the name. If you have guts, you remove Mahatma Gandhi’s photo from the currency note… You can’t do it… Can you (BJP) remove Mahatma Gandhi’s photo from the currency note? You can’t remove.”

The Opposition has been protesting against the VB-G RAM G Bill primarily because it repeals the MGNREGA and removes Mahatma Gandhi’s name from the flagship rural employment program. The opposition alleges that the bill weakens the legal “right to work” and imposes a heavy financial burden on states through a new 60:40 funding split.

During the winter session of Parliament, the Parliament on Friday passed the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB–G RAM G) Bill, with Rajya Sabha approving the legislation after it got the nod of the Lok Sabha.

The Bill guarantees 125 days of wage employment per rural household, up from the existing 100 days, for adult members willing to undertake unskilled manual work.

As per Section 22 of the Bill, the fund-sharing pattern between the Central Government and the State Governments will be 60:40, while for the North Eastern States, Himalayan States, and Union Territories (Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, and Jammu and Kashmir), it will be 90:10.

Section 6 of the Bill allows the state governments to notify in advance, a period aggregating to sixty days in a financial year, covering the peak agricultural seasons of sowing and harvesting.

Lok Sabha had passed the bill on Thursday amid protest and sloganeering by opposition members.

Meanwhile, in a separate statement, Karnataka Deputy CM on Saturday said that during his visit to Delhi, he plans to meet the Central Ministers for Irrigation, Forest, and Urban Development in the interest of the state, and will also meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

“I will meet the Central Irrigation, Forest, and Urban Development Minister, in the interest of the state. After that, I will meet the Prime Minister,” Shivakumar said.

On being asked if he will meet the Congress High Command, the Deputy Chief Minister said, “They said that they will call both of us at the appropriate time. We will wait for the call.” (ANI)