SC/ST welfare funds diverted for party's poll promises, Union Minister slams K�taka govt

New Delhi, July 12 (IANS) Union Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal on Friday lashed out at the Siddaramaiah government in Karnataka, accusing it of diverting the SC/ST dedicated funds for furthering its own political interests.

He said that the welfare funds, meant for Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) were being diverted and re-routed for fulfilling Congress party’s poll promises and guarantees, made during elections.

Arjun Meghwal demanded that Rahul Gandhi must explain why the most impoverished class of the society is being deprived of its rights and why they are being betrayed under the Congress regime.

“Constitution clearly states that there shall be no diversion of SC/ST funds for any other purpose. It is illegal and calls for necessary action,” Meghwal told the newsmen.

He said that Rahul Gandhi flaunted the Constitution booklet from various forums, claiming to be its ‘saviour’ but now that the Congress-ruled state is destroying the Constitutional fabric by directing funds, out of certain political motives, the Congress MP is silent.

“Rahul must answer on such abuse of power,” the Union Minister demanded and also urged the Karnataka government to take action against such ‘malpractice’.

He said that Rahul Gandhi and his associates have been running a fake narrative to win the support of the electorate, despite knowing that their poll promises are ‘impractical and unimplementable’.

“SCSP and TSP were allotted Rs 39,121 crore but the Congress government diverted Rs 14,730 crore for fulfilling the guarantees and nyays, as promised by Rahul Gandhi,” said Arjun Meghwal, giving a break-up of the alleged funds' diversion.

SCSP (Scheduled Caste sub plan) and TSP (Tribal sub plan) are the bodies which manage SC/ST funds and oversee its expenditure.

Meghwal said that Congress and Rahul, in its bid to win elections, made impractical poll promises and offered a slew of guarantees to women and youth of the country and today the party-ruled states are seen flouting constitutional norms.

Notably, the grand old party promised freebies and poll bonanzas, not just nationally but also before the Karnataka Assembly polls. However, the state government has found itself treading on a difficult path in realising those promises, apparently due to a shortage of funds.