Bengaluru, Jan 27 (NationPress) The Deputy Chief Minister of Karnataka, D.K. Shivakumar, declared on Tuesday that nearly 6,000 village panchayat offices will be named in honor of Mahatma Gandhi.

“This initiative is a resolution by the Congress party,” he stated.

During the ‘Raj Bhavan Chalo - Mahatma Gandhi MGNREGA Bachao Sangharsha’ protest held at Freedom Park in Bengaluru, Shivakumar mentioned that KPCC Vice-President V.S. Ugrappa and other party officials had sent him requests regarding this matter, which has also been presented to the Chief Minister.

“This action will ensure the enduring legacy of Mahatma Gandhi. He envisioned villages equipped with schools, cooperative societies, and panchayats,” he noted.

He emphasized that the Congress party is committed to advocating for the employment rights of the impoverished.

“The Manmohan Singh government, under Sonia Gandhi's leadership, provided jobs to the unemployed. The world recognized our employment guarantee scheme, and in 2013, the World Bank hailed it as one of the best. The state has 5,700 panchayats, with approximately Rs 6,000 crore allocated annually for this scheme,” he elaborated.

“Previously, panchayats determined which development projects to undertake. Those unwilling to labor on others' land were given the chance to earn wages by working on their own land. This scheme was crafted under Sonia Gandhi's guidance by former Union Minister C.P. Joshi. It was a historic move by the UPA government, facilitating wages for constructing Ashraya houses, Indira Awas homes, cattle sheds, and agriculture-related tasks,” he explained.

He asserted that the scheme was launched as a mass movement.

“The central government used to fund 90% of the expenses. For projects requiring materials like iron and cement, the state government contributed 25%. Approximately 7,000 supervisory positions were created under this initiative. However, the BJP has altered Mahatma Gandhi's name and transformed the Act. Under the revised law, the Centre now covers 60% and the state 40% of costs. We are convening a special session to address this issue, allowing for a two-day debate. We will see what the BJP leaders have to say,” he stated.

“Reports indicated that BJP leaders were protesting in front of the Gandhi statue. They have forfeited the right to sit before this statue. They are unworthy of displaying Gandhiji's portrait in their offices. Gandhiji was murdered by Nathuram Godse, and now the BJP and NDA government are killing his legacy again. His name cannot be erased,” Shivakumar asserted.

“NREGA is a scheme designed for the advancement of villages. The BJP is perpetuating the plague of unemployment across the nation. Down with the BJP’s animosity towards Gandhi. We will not permit the scrapping of NREGA. We do not seek VB Gram Ji; we want Gandhi. Even if we are arrested today, we will not retreat. We are prepared to face imprisonment. Our struggle will persist until the NREGA scheme is reinstated, just as the Centre was compelled to retract the farm laws,” he declared.

Regarding his own constituency, Shivakumar mentioned, “In my Kanakapura constituency, development projects worth Rs 200 crore are executed annually through this scheme. Consequently, the taluk has achieved the highest effectiveness in implementation. The Centre prompted an investigation, suspecting that I misappropriated funds under this scheme. Ultimately, after observing our work, they awarded us,” he stated.

“Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy and BJP leaders should engage in discussions; I am fully prepared. It has been 20 years since the scheme was initiated. Your government has been in power for the past 11 years. If there were discrepancies in the scheme, what were you doing all this time? We have taken action wherever irregularities appeared in our panchayats. If a few individuals err, is it justifiable to overhaul the entire scheme? Is it rational to cut off your nose to spite your face?” he questioned.

He accused the BJP-led Central government of withholding MGNREGA funds. “The implementation of the Centre’s new scheme is unfeasible even in BJP-governed states. NDA ally and leader CM Chandrababu Naidu has expressed opposition, stating that the scheme is unimplementable. If the BJP-led Centre does not retract the new law, the government will encounter severe repercussions. Chandrababu Naidu has sounded the alarm,” he warned.

“The Central government is stripping away the rights of farmers, workers, and panchayats. Our battle is against this injustice. In the near future, a five-kilometer padayatra will be organized at the taluk level in every panchayat, involving NREGA workers. This padayatra will be led by district in-charge ministers, MLAs, and MLCs,” Shivakumar concluded.