Removing Mahatma Gandhi’s name from NREGA is an insult to the nation: Ivan D’Souza

Removing Mahatma Gandhi’s name from NREGA is an insult to the nation: Ivan D’Souza

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, December 24, 2025: Removing the name of the Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi, from the NREGA scheme by the BJP-led Central government is a major insult to the entire country, said Legislative Council member Ivan D’Souza. He warned that protests will be held by showing black flags whenever any Union minister visits the state in protest against this move.

Addressing a press conference, he said that the NREGA scheme, which has helped people’s development at the grassroots level, has not only been amended but has also had Mahatma Gandhi’s name removed, which goes against the federal structure. He demanded that Gandhi’s name be restored to the scheme.

This is a clear example of the BJP government’s politics of hatred, he said, adding that it is an insult to 135 crore citizens of the country. He questioned whether changing the name was necessary merely because the number of employment days under NREGA was increased by 25 days from the earlier 100 days.

He further alleged that the Central government had earlier attempted to wind up the scheme by cutting its funding by 50 per cent. The BJP government is not pro-poor, he said, accusing it of diverting all state resources to the Centre in the name of GST. On top of that, states are now being asked to bear 40 per cent of the scheme’s cost. This, he said, is not only the height of politics of hatred but also a 100 per cent misuse of the Constitution.