Does any BJP-ruled State give funds for SCs, STs in proportion to population, asks Siddaramaiah

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah defends Congress' commitment to SCs, STs, and OBCs, questioning BJP's track record on fund allocation and reservations.

Criticising Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other BJP leaders who have said that the Congress government in Karnataka has diverted funds meant for the development of Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) to other sections, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah hit back at them by asking whether any of the BJP-ruled States have any Act to ensure funds allocation for SCs and STs in proportion to their population.

“What moral right do you [BJP] have to question our commitment to the development of SCs and STs? The Congress government introduced an Act in 2013 to ensure allocation of funds for SCs and STs in proportion to their population. We allocated ₹30,000 crore a year for these communities under the Special Component Plan (SCP) and Tribal Sub-Plan (TSP),” he said.

“When the BJP government came to power, the allocation for these communities came down to ₹26,000 crore. I have again raised it to ₹39,000 crore in my recent budget. Mr. Modi, have you introduced any Central Act to ensure fund allocations for SCs and STs in proportion to their population? Does any BJP-ruled State have such an Act? What moral right do you have then to criticise Congress’ commitment to the welfare of SCs and STs?” Mr. Siddaramaiah said at a public meeting in Jewargi, Kalaburagi district, late on Wednesday.

Mr. Siddaramaiah also countered the BJP’s charge that the Congress government in the State will snatch reservation from Other Backward Classes (OBCs) and give it to Muslims by recalling how the BJP staged a protest against the Mandal Commission’s recommendations for reservation for OBCs.

“The BJP has always been against the very concept of social justice and reservations for backward communities. When the Mandal Commission recommended reservations for OBCs, the same BJP leaders took to the streets and protested against it. When Union Minister Arjun Singh offered reservations for OBCs in institutes of higher learning like IIT and IIM, the same BJP opposed it. When the Rajiv Gandhi government amended the Constitution to offer reservation to Dalits, OBCs and women in Panchayat Raj institutions, the BJP State Vice-president and Rajya Sabha member Rama Jois moved the Supreme Court and argued that reservation for OBCs and women was unconstitutional. Fortunately, the Supreme Court rejected his petition and upheld reservation,” Mr. Siddaramaiah said.

All India Congress Committee president Mallikarjun Kharge, Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, Kalyana Karnataka Region Development Board Chairman Ajay Singh and other senior Congress leaders were present.