‘If you have guts, remove Mahatma Gandhi’s photo from currency note’: DK Shivakumar lashes out at BJP over MGNREGS row

BELAGAVI: Amid a row that erupted over the renaming of the MGNREGA, Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Thursday mounted a sharp attack against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), 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, Shivakumar told reporters on Thursday, “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”.

#WATCH | Belagavi | Karnataka Deputy CM DK Shivakumar says,”…If you have guts, you remove Mahatma Gandhi’s photo from the currency note..You can’t do it…”

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— ANI (@ANI) December 18, 2025

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.

Earlier on Thursday, the Lok Sabha passed the Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Bill, 2025, which reframed the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) with an employment guarantee scheme during the ongoing winter session of Parliament.

Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who had earlier introduced the bill, moved it for consideration and passing. Speaking in the House, Minister Shivraj Chouhan defended renaming the bill and accused the opposition of deviating from Gandhi’s ideals.

“Bapu is our ideal, our inspiration. We are committed to following the ideals of Mahatma Gandhi Ji, which is why the Bharatiya Janata Party has incorporated Gandhi Ji’s social and economic philosophy into its Panchnischay. The opposition is murdering Bapu’s ideals. Yesterday in the House, I listened to the honorable members until 1:30 at night. You listen to your own words and don’t listen to ours; this too is violence,” he said.

The Bill was passed amid opposition protests, leading to repeated disruptions and the adjournment of the House after a ruckus. The Bill aims to provide a statutory guarantee of 125 days of wage employment per financial year to every rural household, in line with the national vision of Viksit Bharat @2047. It also focuses on strengthening rural livelihoods and accelerating overall rural development. (ANI)