Bengaluru, Jan. 3 -- Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has strongly criticised the Modi government at the Centre over the VB G RAM G Act, alleging that it has systematically weakened village-level governance and damaged the rural economy by diluting the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).

Addressing a press conference at his Home Office, Krishna, the Chief Minister, said the Centre had introduced a new law by effectively withdrawing the existing MGNREGA framework without consulting state governments, reflecting a dictatorial attitude.

He said the UPA government under former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had empowered citizens through landmark legislations such as the Right to Employment, Right to Inform...