BJP spokesperson demands transparency on funds spent on welfare

Hyderabad: Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao, and his BRS’s newfound love for Dr B.R. Ambedkar have more to do with the coming elections in the state and less to do with any intention to improve the lot of Dalits in Telangana state, Bharatiya Janata Party national spokesperson Guru Prakash Paswan said on Saturday.

Speaking with reporters, Paswan said while the installation of the 125-foot tall Ambedkar statue in Hyderabad was welcome, the fact remained that the Chief Minister has done precious little for the Dalit community in Telangana. The promise of making a Dalit the Chief Minister was not kept, and there is just one Dalit in the entire state cabinet.

“The Dalit community has gone beyond mere tokenism and symbolism, the ceremonial and rhetorical indulgences of the BRS government,” he said. The National Crime Records Bureau data shows that there are atrocities against Dalits in Telangana every day and the state government must answer why this is so, he said.

“People are now seeking accountability from the Chief Minister and the BRS government. We want to know where the funds meant for Dalit development, what the outcome has been, how many have been provided with livelihoods. The Chief Minister must come forward with the details. Are the Dalits of Telangana only a vote bank for the Chief Minister. We demand a white paper on expenditure on Dalit welfare in the state over the thousands of crores of Rupees spent,” he said.