3 days ago
BJP stages protest condemning Congress govt. diverting funds meant for SCs, STs for guarantee schemes
The Kalaburagi district unit of the BJP on Monday staged a protest condemning the State government's decision diverting Scheduled Castes Sub Plan and Tribal Sub Plan (SCSP and TSP) grants to fund the guarantee schemes.
The protest was led by BJP State vice-president and former Minister N. Mahesh.
BJP SC Morcha State vice-president Ambaraya Ashtagi, State OBC Morcha secretary Avvanna Myakeri, the former Zilla Panchayat president Nitin Guttedar, the former Zilla Panchayat vice-president Harshanand Guttedar and members of the party's district unit took part in a protest march from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Chowk to the Social Welfare Office. They concluded the agitation by submitting a memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner's office addressed to Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot.
Mr. Mahesh strongly criticized the Siddaramaiah-led government in the State for utilizing the SCSP and TSP funds reserved for the welfare of Scheduled Castes to fulfill the Congress' guarantee schemes.
The aim of allocating SCSP and TSP grants is to bridge the socio-economic gap between the oppressed communities and the general population by providing benefits under education, health, housing and infrastructure development through various schemes.
Slamming Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister Priyank Kharge for defending their policies stating that Section 7 (C) of SCSP and TSP Act has provision to utilize SCSP and TSP funds for other welfare schemes and communities are benefiting proportionately; Mr. Mahesh accused the Congress Dalit leaders of maintaining a stoic silence over the concerns of marginalized communities.
He questioned why the State government has not diverted the funds allocated to various development corporations to uplift their respective communities for the guarantee schemes but is targeting only the SCSP and TSP grants.
Mr. Mahesh demanded that the State government scrap Section 7 (C) of SCSP and TSP Act in the ongoing monsoon session of the State Legislature. The guarantees are general schemes benefitting various communities and SCSP and TSP grants cannot be diverted to fund them as it will go against the objective of empowering the SCs and STs communities.
Accusing the officials of various departments in Kalaburagi district of not providing information, the former Minister likened the administration to the Nizam rule and said that the officials are functioning just like clerks under the erstwhile Razakars.
