The stage is set for a high-stakes showdown in the Karnataka Assembly as the opposition BJP and JD(S) on Saturday threw their weight behind the state government’s decision to call a special two-day session. The debate centers on the newly enacted VB-G RAM G Act, which has replaced the long-standing MGNREGA— a move that has triggered a fierce political tug-of-war.
BJP state president BY Vijayendra and Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy didn't mince words during a joint press meet, accusing the Congress of running a "misinformation campaign" against the new mission. Vijayendra welcomed the Chief Minister's call for a session, saying it would be the perfect platform to compare the UPA-era implementation of rural jobs with the NDA’s decade of reforms. He defended the new Act, noting that increasing guaranteed workdays from 100 to 120 requires stricter accountability. "When lakhs of crores are being spent, is it wrong to ensure there’s no leakage or pilferage?" he asked.
Kumaraswamy echoed this sentiment, dismissing the Congress's criticism as mere "propaganda". He explained that the VB-G RAM G isn't just a name change; it's a revamp designed to combine welfare with infrastructure. He highlighted several new perks, including a daily wage fixed at ₹370, weekly payments, and a clever "flexible off-day" provision during peak farming seasons to protect agriculture. He also noted that the system will now use AI and GPS tracking to kill off corruption, while introducing specialised job cards for vulnerable groups like the elderly and transgender persons.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, however, is having none of it. Reacting to the opposition’s stance, he made it clear that the state government is ready for a fight, even threatening a large-scale agitation. The Congress recently held a strategy meeting at a local hotel, where they resolved to legally challenge the Act and pass a formal resolution in the state legislature demanding that MGNREGA be brought back.
Even the state Cabinet has already decided to oppose the VB-GRam M Act, thus pitting the state directly against the Centre on constitutional lines. With the winter session of Parliament having passed the Bill in the face of massive protests, the forthcoming special session of Karnataka is set to become a battle zone on whose side the "Save MGNREGA" movement in rural India has to come, or the "Viksit Bharat" reform.
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