Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM D. K. Shivakumar, along with Congress leaders, protesting against the Central Government, at Gandhi statue in Suvarna Soudha, during the winter session of Karnataka Legislative Assembly, in Belagavi on December 17, 2025.
| Photo Credit: BADIGER P.K.
Congress legislators, on December 17, staged a protest in Belagavi alleging that the Central Government had targeted its leaders in the National Herald case, and to oppose the Union Government’s move to rename Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme as Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Graman) – VB-G Ram G.
Before commencing business for the day during the winter session of the Karnataka Legislature in Belagavi, the legislators assembled in front of the Mahatma Gandhi statue on the Suvarna Soudha premises. They raised slogans against the BJP, Central Government, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
Addressing the gathering, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said that the BJP government at the Centre was engaged in the politics of hatred. “The party is targeting Congress leaders by filing false cases. The BJP party is engaged in vindictive politics to hide their mistakes. During Mr. Modi’s rule, the debt has increased. Since independence, the country has had total debt of ₹53 lakh crore. However, during Mr. Modi’s rule, the total debt has increased to ₹148 lakh crore,” he said.
The Prime Minister has failed to fulfil his promise of creating two crore jobs a year, he added.
On the National Herald issue, the Chief Minister said the Congress launched the newspaper in 1937 during the freedom movement. “It is the property of the Congress party. The BJP is targeting Congress by filing false cases on its leaders,” he alleged.
The protesters stated that the Delhi High Court’s rejection of the plea by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the National Herald case is a loss of face for the BJP at the Centre
The leaders also took objection to the Centre’s move to rename Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme as VB-G Ram G. “What was wrong with Mahatma Gandhi’s name? It is clear that the BJP opposes Mahatma Gandhi,” one leader said.
Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar alleged that the Central Government had been targeting Congress leaders using agencies like the ED. Referring to the PMLA case against him, Mr. Shivakumar said he was sent to jail. Mr. Shivakumar stated that the Congress party would launch protests against the renaming of the MGNREGA.
Revenue Minister Krishna Byregowda, Minister for Industries M.B. Patil, Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao, and Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre also addressed the protesters.
Published – December 17, 2025 12:35 pm IST
