State did injustice to backward classes by withdrawing grants meant for building community halls, hostels: Vedavyas Kamath

Congress government withdraws ₹312.13 crore grants for backward classes' community halls and hostels, causing injustice, says MLA.

The State government led by the Congress has done injustice to backward classes by withdrawing grants to the tune of ₹312.13 crore sanctioned to 1,092 associations and institutions of different communities in the State, D. Vedavyasa Kamath, MLA, Mangaluru city south, said on Thursday.

Addressing press persons the MLA said that the funds had been sanctioned during 2022-23 for building community halls and hostels of backward classes communities when the BJP was in power in the State.

The funds had been sanctioned by the Department of Backward Classes Welfare.

Producing the copy of a Government Order (GO) of July 7, 2024 on the same (cancelling grants) the MLA said that the grants withdrawn included to many community halls and hostels proposed to be built in Dakshina Kannada. The list given by the MLA comprised 81 such buildings in Dakshina Kannada.

“The Congress government withdrew the grants unilaterally,” the MLA said.

Criticising Chief Minister Siddaramaiah for projecting himself as the custodian of backward classes through AHINDA (a Kannada acronym for Alpasankhyataru or minorities, Hindulidavaru or backward classes, and Dalitaru or Dalits) movement, Mr. Kamath said that the GO reflected the contrast with his words and actions.

The MLA said that probably the government has diverted this fund for meeting the needs of its guarantee schemes.