No previous govt diverted funds reserved for Dalits: Ramesh Jigajinagi

Mangaluru: The misuse of funds allocated for the development of the Dalit community by the state govt for guarantee schemes is condemnable. No previous govt misused funds in this manner. However, within just two years of coming to power, CM Siddaramaiah diverted Rs 25,000 crore from the funds reserved for Dalits to guarantee schemes, deceiving the Dalits, alleged Vijayapura MP Ramesh Jigajinagi.
At a press conference at the district BJP office in Mangaluru on Saturday, the BJP MP said that despite the law prohibiting the diversion of Dalit reserved funds, Siddaramaiah, who claims to be a leader of the AHINDA, violated the rules. The way the Congress treats Dalits is evident from how AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge is conducting himself. The Congress, which wronged BR Ambedkar, continues its agenda, he accused.
MLC N Ravikumar questioned whether Dalit upliftment is possible if SC/ST and TSP funds are used for guarantee schemes. During the tenure of Siddaramaiah, who claims to be a champion of SC/ST and backward classes' development, the welfare of backward classes only reached 33%, which is not even a passing grade. Dalit upliftment is a bogus claim by Siddaramaiah. The Congress govt, which caused so much damage, is waiting for the next budget to misuse the Dalit reserved fund again. A proposal to divert Rs 15,000 crore this time is ready. Under no circumstances should the Dalit reserved fund be used for guarantee schemes in this budget, he insisted.
Former Nanjangud MLA B Harshavardhan said that if Siddaramaiah announces the use of the Dalit reserved fund for guarantee schemes in this budget, BJP legislators should tear up the budget copy and walk out of the assembly.