Karnataka BJP Alleges Misuse of SC/ST Welfare Funds by Congress Government

Karnataka BJP has accused the Chief Minister Siddaramaiah-led Congress government of diverting Rs 14,800-crore funds intended for Scheduled Caste and Tribal welfare towards fulfilling election promises. Opposition leader R. Ashoka claimed these funds were misused for various schemes, including Gruhalakshmi and Annabhagya. The Chief Minister defended the expenditures, stating most beneficiaries belong to SC/ST communities.

In a significant political development, the Karnataka BJP has raised serious allegations against the Chief Minister Siddaramaiah-led Congress government. The opposition party accused the government of diverting Rs 14,800 crore meant for the Scheduled Caste Sub-plan (SCSP) and Tribal Sub-plan (TSP) towards various schemes highlighted in their poll promises.

On Friday, the BJP leadership stated that funds earmarked for the welfare of downtrodden communities were redirected to programs such as the Gruhalakshmi, Bhagyalakshmi, and Annabhagya schemes. Leader of Opposition in the Karnataka Assembly, R. Ashoka, took to social media platform X (formerly Twitter), alleging that the chief minister has 'squandered' these critical welfare funds under the guise of fulfilling the five guarantees.

However, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah defended the financial decisions, revealing that a significant portion of the beneficiaries under these schemes belong to SC/ST communities, thus justifying the reallocation. The controversy continues to generate heated debate in political and social circles.

(With inputs from agencies.)