Bengaluru, 20 Dec 

The ruling Congress in Karnataka on Saturday held a protest here against the central government replacing the MGNREGA, and alleged "hate politics" against the party leadership in the National Herald case.

The protest at the Freedom Park, led by state Congress president and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, was attended by a host of party leaders and legislators.

Shivakumar, along with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, ministers, and Congress legislators, had earlier participated in a protest on the issue on December 17, in front of Gandhi state at Suvarna Vidhana Soudha at Belagavi, where the winter session of the state legislature was held.

Similar protests were also held at various districts and taluka centres of the state.

The Congress' move, came as the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) Bill, 2025, that seeks to replace the existing rural employment law Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), was cleared by the Parliament, amid strong objections by the opposition to the "removal" of Mahatma Gandhi's name from it.

Also, a court in Delhi recently refused to take cognisance of the Enforcement Directorate's money laundering charge against Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and five others in the National Herald case.