Pics: Spoorthi Ullal

Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru

Mangaluru, Feb 5: As part of the MGNREGA Bachao Sangram, Congress workers under the Mangaluru South Assembly Constituency Congress Committee took out a padayatra in the city on Thursday to protest the Central government’s proposed VB-G Ram-G scheme.

The march began from the grounds near Shanthinilaya Hall at Balmatta and proceeded to the Mahatma Gandhi statue in front of the Mangaluru City Corporation office, where party leaders addressed the gathering.

MLC Ivan D’Souza alleged that the Central government had rushed the VB-G Ram-G scheme into implementation without proper discussion.

“This itself is proof that the BJP has no respect for Mahatma Gandhi or the Constitution,” he said, adding that the Congress would continue its protests against the move.

Senior Congress leader Padmaraj R Poojary said that Mahatma Gandhi had dreamt of Rama Rajya and that the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), implemented during former prime minister Manmohan Singh’s tenure, had played a vital role in India’s development. “It was even praised by the United Nations. By providing 100 days of employment, it became a lifeline for the people. Now, through the VB-G Ram-G scheme, the Central government has centralised power,” he alleged.

Congress city district president said that MGNREGA had enabled the development of entire villages — including roads, lakes, wells and toilets. “By merely changing the scheme’s name, the Central government has done injustice to the poor, farmers and women,” Poojary said.

The padayatra saw the participation of several senior leaders and party workers, including Dakshina Kannada district Congress president Harish Kumar; heads of corporations and boards Shalet Pinto and Vishwas Das; former MLA J R Lobo; former mayors Shashidhar Hegde and Bhaskar K; and block leaders Suresh Ballal, Abdul Saleem, Prakash Salyan, Dennis D’Silva, Suhan Alva, Lesh Mulur, Abdul Ravoof, Vinay Raj, Praveen Chandra Alva, Ashraf Bajal, T K Sudheer, Manoraj, Chethan Bengre, Chandrakala Jogi, Roopa Chethan, Asif Bengre, Samsuddin Kudroli, Prithviraj, Honnaiah, Melvin Castelino, Nazir Bajal, Shanthala Gatti and others.