VBGRG Act Is Fatal to Rural Workers, Says Siddaramaiah; Demands Restoration of MGNREGA

His remarks came during a massive protest and Raj Bhavan Chalo march organised by the KPCC under the banner ‘Save MGNREGA Movement’, in which senior party leaders and thousands of workers participated.

Siddaramaiah said MGNREGA had guaranteed 100 days of employment to the rural poor, small farmers and women, recognising employment as a constitutional right. “That right is now being diluted under the VBGRG Act,” he said, alleging that the new framework robs rural labourers of job security.

Highlighting Karnataka’s labour profile, the Chief Minister said the state has around 71 lakh registered workers, of whom 53 per cent are women, 28 per cent belong to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, and nearly five lakh are persons with disabilities. Under the new law, he said, the Centre will decide work locations and the number of working days, while restricting agricultural labour to just 60 days a year.

He further criticised the funding structure, stating that the Centre is providing only 60 per cent of the required funds, forcing states to bear the remaining 40 per cent. “This is an anti-people law that effectively deprives rural workers of employment,” he said.

Accusing the BJP and RSS of driving the policy shift, Siddaramaiah alleged that the intention was to prevent the poor from becoming economically self-reliant. “This law reflects a mindset that wants the poor to remain dependent,” he said.

The Chief Minister asserted that protests will continue at village, taluk and district levels until MGNREGA is fully restored and the VBGRG Act is withdrawn.