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D. K. Shivakumar

December 17, 2025: In a sharp escalation of political tensions over the renaming of India’s flagship rural employment scheme, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar challenged the Bharatiya Janata Party-led central government to remove Mahatma Gandhi’s portrait from Indian currency notes, following the Lok Sabha’s passage of legislation that drops the Father of the Nation’s name from the program.

Parliament Approves VB-G RAM G Legislation

The Lok Sabha passed the Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Bill, 2025, by voice vote on Tuesday amid vociferous Opposition protests, with members tearing papers in the well of the House.

The legislation replaces the two-decade-old Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), enhancing guaranteed rural workdays from 100 to 125 annually while eliminating the “Mahatma Gandhi” prefix that had been integral to the scheme since its inception in 2005.

Deputy CM Issues Currency Gauntlet

Addressing protesters at the Mahatma Gandhi statue in Suvarna Vidhana Soudha, Shivakumar, accompanied by Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, brandished a ₹500 note and declared:

“If you have guts, you remove Mahatma Gandhi’s photo from the currency note…You cannot do it”.

The dramatic gesture, captured in a widely circulated 40-second video clip on social media platform X, underscored Congress’s assertion that the government harbors ideological opposition to Gandhi’s legacy.

Opposition Alleges Systematic Erasure

Congress leadership has characterized the renaming as part of a broader pattern of the BJP government systematically removing Mahatma Gandhi’s name from national programs while rebranding existing schemes.

The party has questioned whether the administration has “a problem with Bapu,” using the affectionate term for Gandhi, and accused the government of political opportunism disguised as administrative reform.

Structural Changes Raise Implementation Concerns

Beyond nomenclature, the VB-G RAM G Bill introduces substantive financial restructuring, mandating that state governments bear 40% of program costs—a departure from the previous funding model.

Policy analysts have expressed concern that this fiscal redistribution could compromise implementation effectiveness, particularly in states with limited budgetary resources, potentially undermining the scheme’s fundamental objective of providing employment security to rural households.

Historical Context and Broader Implications

The MGNREGA renaming represents the latest instance in an ongoing recalibration of how post-independence India memorializes its freedom movement leaders.

While historical demands from specific Hindu nationalist organizations have previously advocated for replacing Gandhi’s image on currency with figures such as Subhas Chandra Bose, these proposals predate the current controversy.

The confrontation reflects deepening ideological fissures between the ruling coalition and Opposition parties regarding national symbolism, historical interpretation, and the appropriate commemoration of independence-era leaders.

Both sides claim authentic representation of Indian values while accusing their opponents of exploiting historical legacies for electoral advantage.

The debate has intensified scrutiny of the government’s broader agenda under the Viksit Bharat vision, with critics questioning whether administrative modernization necessitates distancing from Gandhian nomenclature.

At the same time, supporters argue that national development programs should transcend individual personalities to embody collective national aspirations.