Politics of hatred behind changes to job scheme, claims Gopinath Palaniappan

Congress leaders went on a hunger strike in Belagavi on Sunday against the changes brought to the rural job scheme. They gathered at the district Congress office and shouted slogans against the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre. Legislators and leaders of the district unit, Youth Congress and other wings of the party participated.

AICC secretary Gopinath Palaniappan, who addressed the protestors, demanded the withdrawal of the VB-G RAM G Act that has replaced earlier job scheme.

He claimed that the BJP’s politics of hatred is behind changes like removing the name of Mahatma Gandhi from the scheme and changing its provisions. He also demanded the withdrawal of the new farm policy laws introduced by the Centre.

“For centuries, Indians have been living in peace and harmony. But the BJP is trying to divide us and spread hatred in society,” he claimed and said that, “This is nothing but killing Gandhi again. We will not stop till the old scheme is reverted. This agitation will take the shape of a mass movement.”

“The earlier job scheme was demand-based. But the new scheme has made it supply-based. This is nothing but subverting the very idea of ​​the scheme. We demand that the old scheme is retained,” he said.

“They have destroyed the nature of the scheme by removing the name of Gandhi. The scheme was named after him as it was aimed at boosting rural economy. Under the old scheme, gram panchayats were empowered to formulate plans and implement them. But in the new scheme, decision-making is centralised. This is unacceptable,” he said.

Youth Congress leader Rahul Jarkiholi said that it is time for a united movement to save the earlier job scheme.

“It is clear that the BJP is trying to erase the name of Mahatma Gandhi from our collective memory. But they do not understand that the whole world bows before Gandhi for his ideals and non-violent agitation. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government is taking away the livelihood of the rural poor by changing the very nature of the earlier job scheme. This needs to be opposed,” he said.

Youth Congress leader Mrinal Hebbalkar said that the BJP is trying to destroy the dream project of the former Prime Minister late Manmohan Singh.

“They do not know that we worship Lord Rama in our hearts. But we have never used that for political gains. For the rural poor, the now repealed job scheme was a guaranteed tool of access to livelihood. But the BJP ‘s move has snatched it away,” he claimed.

“I do not think Mr. Modi knows who Mahatma Gandhi was or what is contribution to the country is,” MLA Asif (Raju) Sait said.

“That is why the Central government is trying to erase the names of those who saved the country. The Union government fails to realise that they need to take the consent of the people before making such major decisions. They are doing what they please. This is condemnable,” he said.

MLA Mahantesh Koujalgi said that the Central government is trying to bury the scheme that has empowered the rural poor.

“Entire villages have seen development due to the job scheme. It has managed to feed people during drought and floods. It has stemmed migration to a great extent. But the Central government has crippled the scheme and is trying to weaken the State governments. We need to create awareness about this among the common people,” he said.

MLA Babasaheb Patil said that the job scheme should continue for the development of villages and women’s empowerment.

“We all need to fight together and warn the Central government,” he added.

MLA Vishwas Vaidya said that the Congress has tried to wipe the tears of the poor, downtrodden and helpless. “But the BJP has reversed such noble efforts. We need to put a brake to such efforts,” he said.

Chikkodi Congress district unit president Laxmanrao Chingale said that it is ironical that the BJP which worships Gandhi’s killers has named the new scheme after Lord Ram.

“The BJP is anti-poor. It is trying to privatise all State assets. We need to show the Centre that people will not sit quiet when such negative changes are introduced,” he said.

Leaders like the former Minister Veerakumar Patil, the former MLAs Shyam Ghatage, Guarantee Scheme Implementation Committee president Vinay Navalagatti, NWKRTC vice-president Sunil Hanumanavara, KPCC general secretary Sudhakar Badiger, Ananth Kumar Byakod ,Yuvaraj Kadam, Manjunath H. Bhane, Gajanan Kaganekar, Karthika Patil and others were present.

Published – January 12, 2026 07:09 pm IST