Madhu Bangarappa, Minister of Primary & Secondary Education and Sakala. File.
| Photo Credit: The Hindu
Nathuram Godse shot Mahatma Gandhi dead once, while BJP people have been murdering the father of the nation every day, stated Minister for School Education Madhu Bangarappa.
Speaking to the media in Shivamogga on Saturday (January 10, 2026), Mr. Madhu Bangarappa took serious exception to the replacement of Mahatma Gandhi Nationak Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) by the Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM) Act, 2025.
The UPA government-under the leadership of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh introduced the scheme and named it after Mahatma Gandhi, highlighting the significance of his message for rural development. “However, now the Centre has removed his name. They defend their action claiming that Gandhi also revered Ram. But, let me ask who is in the hearts of the BJP people? They have no respect for Gandhi. They worship Godse. While Godse killed him once, the BJP people are killing him every day”, he stated.
By altering the scheme, the minister said, the Centre was weakening the gram panchayats, which were benefited by the MGNREGA.
“The scheme was launched to create assets in rural areas. The working classes in the villages were benefited by the job guarantee. With the changes in the scheme, the rural economy will be badly hit”, he stated.
The Congress will fight against the weakening the scheme from the gram panchayat level. “We will take the protest from the villages to the national level”, he said.
District Congress Committee President R. Prasanna Kumar and others were present at the press conference.
Published – January 10, 2026 10:59 am IST
