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Karnataka Protests
The National Congress party has launched nationwide protests on Wednesday morning, which are currently underway, in response to the Central government’s decision to rename the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA). The party has accused the BJP and RSS of attempting to undermine rights-based welfare schemes and centralise control over rural employment programs.
The demonstrations are currently underway at district headquarters nationwide, with thousands of party workers and supporters participating. The party has instructed its state units, or Pradesh Congress Committees (PCCs), to carry out the protests with portraits of Mahatma Gandhi, symbolising resistance against what it calls the “erasure of his name and values.” The Congress has warned that the renaming could have serious implications for millions of rural beneficiaries who depend on the scheme for guaranteed employment and livelihoods.
In a post on X, the official handle of the Indian National Congress (INC) said: “This combined attack on Gandhiji’s legacy, workers’ rights, and federal responsibility exposes a larger BJP-RSS conspiracy to dismantle rights-based welfare and replace it with charity controlled from the Centre.”
According to the report, party workers and local leaders gathered at prominent district offices, holding Gandhi portraits, banners, and placards demanding the protection of MGNREGA’s core objectives. Several participants emphasised that renaming the scheme was not just symbolic but could affect the very structure of the program, reducing accountability and undermining rural empowerment.
In Karnataka, Congress leaders staged protests near the Gandhi statue at Suvarna Soudha in Belagavi, stressing that today’s demonstrations are both “symbolic and substantive” in defending rights-based welfare programs. Officials confirmed that the protests remain peaceful but assertive, with additional gatherings expected throughout the day in districts nationwide.