Hyderabad: Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka questioned the BJP-led Union government over the removal of Mahatma Gandhi’s name from the employment guarantee scheme, asking why the Centre targeted the legacy of the freedom icon.
He raised the issue while addressing a large public meeting in Chennai after a padayatra organised by the Tamil Nadu Pradesh Congress Committee. During his speech, Bhatti Vikramarka criticised the changes introduced to the scheme. According to him, the Centre brought a new law to weaken the programme. As a result, he said the government pushed the scheme towards irrelevance.
Further, Bhatti Vikramarka said the Centre deliberately removed Gandhi’s name from the scheme. At the same time, he said the government diluted the core promise of guaranteed work for agricultural labourers. Therefore, he questioned what fault crores of farm workers had committed to face such changes.
Recalling earlier struggles, he said labourers once faced protests, police lathi charges, and bloodshed. In those days, he said, workers fought even for a 50-paise wage hike. With this background, he said Congress chairperson Sonia Gandhi and former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh introduced the employment guarantee scheme with a humane vision. The objective, he added, was to end exploitation and insecurity.
Congress vows to fight until the scheme is restored
According to Bhatti Vikramarka, the BJP government made repeated changes to erase the scheme’s relevance. Eventually, he said, the Centre removed Mahatma Gandhi’s name, which the nation revered as a moral symbol. He described the move as a direct attack on history and social justice.
Referring to party decisions, he said Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, senior leader Sonia Gandhi, and Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi called for nationwide protests. Consequently, he said all state PCC units launched agitations in support of agricultural labourers.
He asserted that Congress workers would continue the struggle. Until the Centre fully restored the employment guarantee scheme, he said, the agitation would not stop.
Praising Tamil Nadu, Bhatti Vikramarka said the state always stood in the front line when common people faced injustice. Once again, he said, Tamil Nadu showed leadership by standing firmly with farm workers.
Highlighting national values, he said Mahatma Gandhi gave freedom, while Periyar gave self-respect. Likewise, he said Kamaraj gave honesty, and Anna Durai gave dignity. Therefore, he said the Congress carried a moral and historical responsibility to protect this legacy. Tamil Nadu PCC president K. Selvaperunthagai and other leaders attended the meeting.
The removal of Mahatma Gandhi’s name from the Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme by the BJP-led Union Government is unacceptable. This is not just a name change; it is an attempt to erase the vision of Gram Swaraj.
Honoured to participate in the massive rally in Tamil Nadu. We… pic.twitter.com/dO2ZJVhHIj— Bhatti Vikramarka Mallu (@Bhatti_Mallu) February 6, 2026