Maha Panchayat of MGNREGA workers asks President to withdraw the VB-G RAM G act
Bengaluru (PTI): A Maha Panchayat of MGNREGA Workers in Karnataka on Monday petitioned the President of India to withdraw the VB-G RAM G act and bring back the UPA-era employment guarantee scheme immediately.
MGNREGA Protection Coalition - Karnataka has sent a memorandum to President Droupadi Murmu in this regard.
"With great pain and concern, we are writing this letter to you. On February 2, 2026, more than 10,000 rural agricultural workers (including women, Dalits, landless labourers, small farmers) from various parts of the state gathered at Freedom Park, Bengaluru as part of the Mahapanchayat,” the memorandum said.
“We are preparing and submitting this memorandum to you from Freedom Park where the Mahapanchayat is being held. We earnestly request your immediate intervention in our distress," it added.
It has been 20 years since the MGNREGA was enacted on the simple principle that workers struggling for employment should get work in their own villages with minimum wages, the Maha panchayat said.
"Another key objective of this law was the conservation of local natural resources and environmental protection, so that these resources would continue to generate employment for local people in the future. Desilting village tanks, canals and streams to ensure water retention, soil conservation, and creating more work in farmers' fields were all integral to this vision," it added.
Noting that there are 26 crore registered workers in MGNREGA, the Maha Panchayat said, in Karnataka alone, 1.79 crore people are registered. More than half of them are women, and about 30 per cent are Dalits and Adivasis.
"A law that provided employment to rural people on such a massive scale should have grown stronger every year. Instead, over the past 11 years, the BJP-led union government has steadily weakened this law -- tightening central controls, denying adequate financial support. As a consequence, wage payments have been routinely delayed," it said.
Excessive digitisation has resulted in workers not getting paid despite having worked, and crores of job cards have been deleted. Despite all these problems, for lakhs of families in Karnataka, MGNREGA has remained a lifeline, it added.
Alleging that in December 2025, the union government suddenly and without any prior consultation repealed MGNREGA and in its place enacted a new law called VB-GRAM G Act, which was "rushed through in the Parliament, the memorandum said.
This new law does not address any of the prevailing challenges that MGNREGA was facing. Instead, the VB-GRAMG Act will only increase corruption.
"Decisions about where work should be carried out and what kind of work should be done are now taken entirely by the union government. Under MGNREGA, state governments had to contribute only 10 percent of the funds,” it said.
“Under the new law, states must contribute 40 per cent. When the Union government already owes large sums to Karnataka, imposing this additional burden is unjust," it further said.
Expressing concerns, the Maha Panchayat said, the union government has repealed MGNREGA and implemented the VB-G RAM G Act, effectively turning our right to livelihood into a matter of central discretion.
MGNREGA workers across the country have consistently raised demands that employment should not be limited to 100 days per family, but should be 100 days per individual, amounting to approximately 300 days per family; wages should be increased to a minimum of Rs 600 per day; and as working people who earn by labour, our wages must be paid within the same month, the memorandum further said.
"None of these justified demands were addressed. Instead, the government has moved to take away even our existing rights," it added.
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Karnataka: SP’s gunman among two arrested for extorting money from rice smuggler
Ballari (Karnataka) (PTI): An armed police constable serving as the district superintendent of police’s personal gunman, along with his accomplice, was arrested for allegedly extorting money from a rice smuggler, police said on Friday.
Devaraj, who had been serving as the SP’s gunman for the past four and a half years, was identified as the mastermind behind the incident.
Following an investigation, Devaraj and his accomplice Sairam were arrested on May 6, while efforts are underway to nab a third accused, Gadilinga, a practising advocate in Ballari, who is absconding, police said.
The matter came to light after a complaint was filed by Sharabappa, a habitual offender allegedly involved in illegal rice transport, they added.
According to police, the incident occurred on the intervening night of April 27 and 28, when a group of masked men intercepted Sharabappa’s rice-laden vehicles near the Moka forest area.
The accused allegedly introduced themselves as members of an “SP squad”, threatened to seize the vehicles and file criminal cases, and demanded money to avoid legal action.
Police said the accused initially demanded Rs 5 lakh and later extorted around Rs 3 lakh from the complainant.
Investigation revealed that Devaraj was the main person involved in demanding and collecting the money, while Sairam and Gadilinga were also involved in the offence. Sairam was allegedly involved in similar activities earlier as well.
Devaraj and Sairam were arrested under Sections 308(2) (extortion) and 3(5) (common intention) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
Police also seized the extorted cash, the four-wheeler, and mobile phones allegedly used in the crime. Efforts are underway to trace Gadilinga.
Addressing a press conference, Ballari Superintendent of Police Suman D Pennekar described the incident as a serious offence that has tarnished the image of the police department.
"There is no official ‘SP squad’ or ‘DSP squad’ operating in the district. Such labels are often misused by impostors or corrupt individuals to commit extortion," the SP clarified.
She said no involvement of other police officers has been found so far.
Departmental proceedings have been initiated against Devaraj, and suspension proceedings are underway. The SP added that strict action will be taken against anyone involved in such offences.
Police said Sharabappa, the complainant, is a known habitual offender involved in illegal rice smuggling, and several cases have already been registered against him in the Moka and Peddihalli areas. A separate case has also been registered against him in connection with rice smuggling on the night of the incident.
Authorities are also exploring the possibility of initiating externment proceedings against him under applicable legal provisions.
The SP urged the public to report any extortion attempts by persons claiming to be part of an “SP squad”, assuring that the identity of informants will be kept confidential.
