Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah used Dalit fund for loan waiver: B S Yeddyurappa

Hubballi: Launching a tirade against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, State BJP president B.S. Yeddyurappa alleged that the Congress government is utilising funds meant for the welfare of the Dalit community, for the loan waiver scheme intended for farmers. 

Addressing a convention of Scheduled Caste and Tribe communities in Haveri on Thursday, he said that the party will launch a state-wide agitation against transfer of Rs 929 crore to waive off farmer loans which the government had done with an eye on votes ahead of the elections. He also said that he will send Congress leaders to jail by exposing all their scandals within three months after the BJP comes to power. 

Stating that more than 50 percent of the funds earmarked in the Budget have not been utilised, he demanded White Papers on fund allocation for the development of the Dalit community and money utilised for them by the government during the last five years.

“We will not allow the government to misuse the funds meant for Dalit welfare. A fund of Rs 160 crore is earmarked to give publicity to government schemes but Karnataka is pushed 10 years back in development. Where has all the money released by the Centre gone? Congress leaders are only engaged in looting the public exchequer. The BJP will launch an agitation after holding a discussion with party leaders about the strategy”, Yeddyurappa said.

He claimed that the state government is collecting 50 per cent commission from contractors of Upper Krishna Project by giving 25 per cent more allocation than the funds required for it. He also questioned Chief Minister Siddaramaiah as to where he got the wrist watch worth Rs 40 lakh from and why he returned it after a controversy erupted. 

Criticising AICC president Rahul Gandhi, he said the Congress leader has no moral right to talk about Dalits and Dr Ambedkar. He said that BJP is committed to fulfil all promises made by the party in its manifesto. Appealing to party workers to be present in large numbers during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s rally in Davangere on February 27, he said that he will showcase the strength of the party during the convention. Terming Rahul Gandhi as an ‘election Hindu’ for visiting religious institutions ahead of the Assembly elections, the BJP Karnataka in-charge Muralidhar Rao said that the state government has failed to safeguard the interests of Dalits and the Congress is using them only for vote-bank politics.