Bengaluru, Jan 13 (IANS) Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday called for continuing the struggle until the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) is restored and the Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB—G RAM G) is repealed.

Speaking at the preparatory meeting for ‘Save Mahatma Gandhi Employment Guarantee Scheme’ agitation, here, he said, “This movement must take shape from the village level to the state level. Just as farmers in North India fought against changes in laws, a similar struggle must be undertaken.”

The AICC Executive Committee meeting was held last month, during which the party took serious note of the scrapping of MGNREGA.

“The BJP is allergic to the name of Mahatma Gandhi,” the Chief Minister alleged.

Recalling Manmohan Singh’s tenure as Prime Minister, he said, “During that period, MGNREGA, landmark legislations such as the Food Security Act, Employment Guarantee Act, Right to Information Act, Right to Education Act, and Forest Rights Act were enacted.”

Under the Act, which had been in force for 20 years, 12.16 crore labourers across the country were provided employment, including 6.21 crore women, he added.

“Under MGNREGA, rural workers had the right to seek work for 365 days a year and could work within their own villages and on their own land. However, it has changed under the VB-G Ram G Act,” Siddaramaiah alleged.

He pointed out that earlier, workers could even approach courts if employment was not provided under the Act.

CM Siddaramaiah said, “Now, the Central government will decide the nature and location of work through notifications, forcing workers to work only in those places.”

“States are now required to bear 40 per cent of the expenditure, which would cost Karnataka around Rs 2,500 crore. That is why we have launched the NREGA Save Movement. This must turn into a people’s movement,” the Chief Minister said.

–IANS

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