'Raj Bhavan Chalo' to save MGNREGA: Shivakumar
Bengaluru (PTI): The Congress will hold a 'Raj Bhavan Chalo' programme on January 27 to protest against replacing the MGNREGA with VB-G RAM G, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar said on Monday.
In order to save Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), Congress leaders and workers will take out foot march in all the taluks of the state, he said.
"We should have actually carried out BJP Office Chalo as they were responsible for repealing the MGNREGA but we are doing Raj Bhavan Chalo (March towards the Raj Bhavan)," he told reporters here.
According to him, a 'Padayatra' (foot march) of at least five km will be held in every taluk of the state. Protests will also be organised at the panchayat level.
Shivakumar said there was an attempt to destroy MGNREGA, which came as a constitutional right introduced 20 years ago by the Manmohan Singh government.
The scheme, launched in the name of Mahatma Gandhi, guaranteed the right to employment for people in rural areas but that right has now been curtailed. Therefore, a nationwide agitation has been planned on this issue, he said.
"We are prepared to protest and pass a resolution on this issue even in the Legislative Assembly. Under the leadership of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, the agitation will continue until MGNREGA is restored," the Deputy CM said.
When asked about the resolution that would be passed, Shivakumar said, "We will demand the withdrawal of the law that seeks to destroy MGNREGA. Just as the black farm laws were withdrawn, this too must be repealed. The struggle will continue until it is withdrawn."
Shivakumar was apprehensive about the success of the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajivika Mission (Gramin) VB-G RAM G, the recently passed rural employment Act.
"It is not possible to implement the new law. Speaking from my experience as a representative of rural people, its implementation is impossible. Who will provide funding for this scheme. Let the Centre provide the funds."
"Some leaders have said they are ready for a discussion. We are prepared to respond to their arguments in the House," he said.
Asked about the Governor writing to the President regarding developments in the Karnataka Assembly during his customary speech to the legislature on January 22, Shivakumar said, "I have no information about that. The Governor could have stayed till the speech was read and the national anthem was completed."
On January 22 during the joint session of the Karnataka Legislature, Thaawarchand Gehlot read just three lines from the 122-paragraph Governor's address. There were references condemning the Centre for repealing the MGNREGA and introducing VB-G RAM G in the Governor's address.
The Congress legislators protested and tried to Gherao the Gehlot.
Congress leaders charged that Gehlot insulted the National anthem as he did not wait for it to be played.
The opposition BJP defended the Governor saying that the ruling party insulted the Governor and sought action against the Congress legislators.
Reacting to a question, Shivakumar said, "If the Governor did not wish to read the speech related to MGNREGA on January 22, that is his choice. There were also many other options. Reading the government-provided speech is a constitutional duty of the Governor. This has happened not only here but in other states as well."
Greeting people on the occasion of Republic Day, the Deputy CM said the Congress is working to protect the Constitution of the country.
"The reading of the Preamble of the Constitution has been made mandatory in all schools in Karnataka. Through this, our government has worked to create awareness about the Constitution among the new generation. Our government is committed at every level to safeguarding the Constitution," he said.
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We will move court again to resist voter deletions: Mamata
Kolkata (PTI): West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday hit out at the BJP and the Election Commission over voter deletions during the SIR exercise and said her party will move a court again to resist the removal of electors from the rolls.
Her comments came after nearly 91 lakh voters' names were deleted from the electoral rolls following the completion of the Special Intensive Revision in the state.
“You will not be able to defeat the TMC by deleting names. We will move a court again to resist the exclusion of names," Banerjee said while attacking her principal challenger BJP over the roll revision exercise.
Banerjee had in February argued in the Supreme Court as she sought an intervention in the SIR process.
The EC figures, which pushed the total deletion to over 90.83 lakh names from the original voter base of 7.66 crore in October 2025, showed that the proportion of removal of electors now remains at over 11.85 per cent.
Criticising the poll panel over the SIR process, she also said, "We will fight legally to get the names included on the list as per the Constitution. If people cannot cast their votes, what is the need to frame the tribunal? And then you are saying that the list has been frozen. What is this? We will challenge it and try to understand it."
Addressing a poll rally at Arambagh in Hooghly district, the TMC supremo accused the saffron party of trying to manipulate the electoral rolls and offering money to woo voters.
Banerjee also charged the Election Commission with intimidating people over the phone.
“It (EC) is working at the behest of the BJP. It is calling people over the telephone to threaten and intimidate them,” she claimed.
Later, while speaking at a rally in Balagarh in the same district, Banerjee warned that voting for the BJP would effectively mean "giving up fish, meat, and speaking in Bengali".
“People are not allowed to eat eggs, fish, or meat in the BJP-ruled states like Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Maharashtra. The same will happen here if the BJP comes to power," Banerjee claimed.
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