Protest Ignites as MGNREGA Faces Replacement with VB-G RAM G

Karnataka's Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and other Congress leaders were detained during a protest against the replacement of MGNREGA with VB-G RAM G. They claim the new scheme diminishes rural employment rights and Panchayat autonomy. The protest calls for resisting the perceived attack on rural livelihoods.

In a significant display of political activism, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, along with Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar and Congress General Secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala, were detained on Tuesday as they led a 'Raj Bhavan Chalo' protest march in Bengaluru.

The protest targeted the central government's initiative to replace the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) with a new scheme termed VB-G RAM G, which they argue undermines rural employment rights and erodes the autonomy of local Panchayats.

Speaking to the crowd before his arrest, Siddaramaiah criticized the central government's decision, declaring that MGNREGA was vital for rural livelihoods. The police then escorted the leaders away, as they urged citizens to continue the struggle for rural development across the state.

(With inputs from agencies.)