Governor's Stand-Off: Karnataka vs Centre Over Employment Schemes

A conflict between Karnataka's government and Governor Gehlot arose over the governor's reluctance to read parts of a speech critical of Central policies. The dispute centers on the replacement of MGNREGA with VB-G RAM G, which the state argues is detrimental to rural employment.

A significant political standoff unfolded in Karnataka as the state government clashed with Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot over his governor's address. The governor opted to read only a small portion of the prepared speech, which had been critical of various Central policies, notably the replacement of MGNREGA with the VB-G RAM G scheme.

The prepared address by the Congress-led state government included 122 paragraphs, but Governor Gehlot omitted 10 contentious paragraphs. These passages criticized the alleged economic injustices committed against Karnataka by the Centre, particularly in tax devolution and rural employment schemes.

The VB-G RAM G scheme, introduced by the Centre, replaced the UPA-era MGNREGA. The state argues this change has harmed rural employment rights, particularly for wage laborers and small farmers. The Karnataka government has accused the Centre of prioritizing corporate interests over rural welfare and condemned this as an anti-progressive measure.

(With inputs from agencies.)