Hubballi, Karnataka | January 24, 2026 – Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge launched a scathing attack on the BJP-led central government on Saturday, accusing it of reducing state governors to mere "puppets" to sabotage non-BJP administrations and undermine the Constitution's foundational principles.
Speaking at the golden jubilee celebrations of the Karnataka Slum Development Board here, Kharge highlighted recent flashpoints in federal tensions, including the Karnataka governor's refusal to deliver a state-prepared address to the joint legislative session on Thursday. He alleged that instructions from the Prime Minister's Office and the Union Home Ministry were directly influencing governors in opposition-ruled states like Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala, leading to delays in bill assents and interference in routine governance.
"The central government, through the PM office, Home Minister office, directly gives instructions to the Governor not to read the speeches prepared by the Siddaramaiah or Congress government," Kharge said, referring to the recent assembly standoff where Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot opted for a curt three-line address instead of the full script. "This is not the fate only in Karnataka; the same thing happened in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, wherever the Congress or non-BJP governments are in power, the Governors are creating trouble."
Kharge, who was chief guest at the event where Chief Minister Siddaramaiah dedicated 42,345 houses under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) 'Shelter for All' scheme, warned that such tactics were part of a broader assault on democratic institutions and the Constitution's Directive Principles (Articles 38-51). He specifically decried the alleged dilution of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), a flagship UPA-era program guaranteeing 100 days of wage employment, which he claimed the Centre was effectively repealing by slashing funding and workdays while introducing a weaker alternative dubbed the "VB G RAM G Act."
"By repealing the MGNREGA, they have brought some G RAM or some RAM act," Kharge thundered, invoking Article 41's right to work. "Article 41 of the Constitution, as per the directive principles, right to work was given to people under MGNREGA, but the central government has taken it away." He vowed that the Congress would fight to restore the scheme, drawing parallels to the 2021 withdrawal of the three contentious farm laws after widespread protests.
The Congress leader also accused the BJP of discriminatory fund releases, pointing to the Centre's alleged withholding of aid to flood-hit Karnataka despite repeated pleas. "First, they weakened MGNREGA. Tomorrow, they will take Anna Bhagya, then housing, then free and compulsory education. One by one, the directive principles—Articles 38 to 50—are being targeted," he added, urging the poor to unite beyond caste and religious lines to safeguard their rights.
Kharge's remarks come amid escalating Centre-state frictions in southern India, where governors in Kerala and Tamil Nadu have similarly withheld assent to key bills, prompting accusations of "constitutional overreach." He likened the BJP's approach to authoritarian regimes, stating, "To oust the BJP from power, in all the upcoming elections, whether small or big, vote against the BJP... If not, Hitler, Mussolini, Saddam Hussain-like rule will come in this country. It has come."
The event, attended by Siddaramaiah and several state ministers, also saw the distribution of house allotment letters to beneficiaries, underscoring the Congress government's focus on welfare amid central hurdles. Of the 1,80,253 houses under construction statewide, the PMAY initiative—funded via state grants—aims to provide shelter to the urban poor.
As of late Saturday, the BJP had not issued an official response to Kharge's allegations. Social media buzz on X (formerly Twitter) largely echoed news reports of the speech, with early posts from outlets like PTI highlighting the "puppets" remark but no widespread partisan backlash yet.
Kharge concluded on an optimistic note, crediting Congress legacies—from Nehru's dams and institutions to the UPA's MGNREGA—for India's progress, while challenging Prime Minister Narendra Modi: "Modi only speaks and asks what has Congress done to the country. But we want to ask what has he done?"
Political analysts view Kharge's address as a rallying cry ahead of key state polls, positioning the Constitution as the central battleground in India's polarized federal landscape. With governors' roles under renewed scrutiny, the coming months could test the resilience of India's constitutional federalism.
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