BJP-JDS Launch Awareness Drive Across Karnataka to Counter Congress’ MGNREGA Campaign
Alliance launches counter-campaign against Congress propaganda on new law.
The BJP-JDS alliance announced a comprehensive plan on Saturday to counter the Congress party's 'MGNREGA Bachao Sangram' by conducting widespread awareness programmes at the gram panchayat level throughout Karnataka. State BJP president BY Vijayendra, addressing a joint press conference with Union Minister and JDS leader HD Kumaraswamy, asserted that the VB-G RAM G Act introduced by the Union Government is not anti-people but aims to strengthen the rural employment scheme by eliminating corruption.
Vijayendra welcomed the Karnataka government's decision to convene a special Assembly session to discuss the VB-G RAM G Act. He proposed that the debate should also cover the Congress-led UPA government's record on MGNREGA between 2006 and 2013, when Rs 2.13 lakh crore was spent, compared to the NDA's expenditure of Rs 8.83 lakh crore from 2014 to 2025. He criticised the Siddaramaiah administration for failing to implement both the National Education Policy and the State Education Policy, accusing Congress of historically disrespecting Mahatma Gandhi and Dr BR Ambedkar.
Kumaraswamy strongly defended the modifications made to the employment guarantee scheme through the VB-G RAM G Act, stating that they were necessary to address widespread illegalities and duplication of works that plagued MGNREGA. He expressed readiness to accept Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar's challenge for an open debate, claiming the alliance possesses concrete documents to expose what he described as Congress's false propaganda against the legislation.
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The JDS leader questioned the rationale behind the state government's plan for a special session, labelling it a mere publicity stunt. He recalled his tenure as Chief Minister when the Centre delayed releasing Rs 800 crore in MGNREGA wages, forcing the state to intervene. Kumaraswamy accused the present Congress government of habitually opposing every central policy, which he said hinders Karnataka's development.
Both leaders emphasised that the VB-G RAM G Act represents a sincere effort to establish Ram Rajya by ensuring transparent and corruption-free implementation of rural employment programmes. They urged the state government to accept responsibility and contribute 40 per cent grant support to the initiative, reiterating that the legislation protects the interests of the rural poor rather than undermining gram panchayat powers as alleged by the opposition.
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