As the sun rises over Bengaluru’s bustling streets, a shadow looms large over Karnataka’s future. Under the guise of inclusivity, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s Congress Government has embarked on a dangerous path of minority appeasement that threatens to unravel the State’s delicate social fabric and derail its economic progress.
Targeted Spending
The scale of this appeasement is staggering. Consider these moves by the Congress ever since it came to power in May 2023:
- A whopping Rs 1,000 crore action plan to develop “minority-dominated localities”
- Promises to increase minority budgetary allocation to an eye-watering Rs 10,000 crore
- Rs 100 crore earmarked for developing Waqf properties
- Rs 31.84 crore sanctioned for building walls around 416 Waqf properties
- Rs 10 crore allocated for a new Haj Bhavan in Mangaluru
- Loans given through KMDC along with training through sericulture department to financially support silk weavers belonging to minority communities
- Women self-help groups of minority communities will be encouraged to engage in various types of self-employment activities. Rs 10 crore will be allocated for this programme
- Rs 393 crore earmarked for programmes through the minorities’ development corporation
This tsunami of targeted spending comes at a time when Karnataka’s farmers struggle and the State faces numerous developmental challenges. One must ask whether this is judicious use of public funds, or a cynical attempt to secure votes at the expense of the greater good?
Denying Dalits their Due
The State Government’s approach goes beyond mere spending. In a move that has sent shockwaves through Karnataka’s social landscape, Siddaramaiah has implemented a four per cent reservation for Muslims under the backward classes category. This comes at the direct expense of SCs and Other Backward Classes, effectively pitting vulnerable communities against each other in a zero-sum game for limited resources. This move doesn’t just create a new quota – it actively reduces the overall quota available for SCs and Other Backward Classes.
In essence, the administration is robbing Peter to pay Paul, sacrificing the interests of historically marginalised communities on the altar of vote bank politics.The Siddaramaiah Government’s approach to minority welfare appears to operate on the flawed assumption that uplifting one community must come at the expense of others. This zero-sum mentality is not only divisive but also fundamentally at odds with the principles of inclusive growth and development.
The recent notification to transfer two acres of Veterinary Department land in Chamarajpet to the Minority Welfare Department is particularly galling. This plot, donated by Muthoji Rao Scindia in 1936 for a veterinary hospital, represents not just valuable real estate but also a piece of Bengaluru’s history and the philanthropic spirit of its citizens. By repurposing this land, the Government not only disregards the donor’s intentions but also sets a dangerous precedent for the arbitrary reallocation of public resources. This move is not just appeasement; it’s a brazen disregard for public trust and historical legacy. Why is Siddaramiah Government not ready to utilise the already available large tracts of vacant wakf land for this purpose?
As these policies take root, their corrosive effects are already becoming apparent. Reports indicate a troubling rise in religious hate crimes across Karnataka, with law enforcement seemingly unable or unwilling to stem the tide. The Government’s apparent favouritism has created a powder keg of resentment, threatening the very communal harmony it claims to promote (Sarva janangada shantiya thota). In June 2023, Karnataka’s Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Sciences Minister, K Venkatesh had openly supported slaughtering of cows, perhaps keeping his vote bank in mind. This brand of identity politics carries hidden dangers. By explicitly favouring one community, the Government risks alienating others, particularly SCs, OBCs and deepening societal divisions. It sends a message that political patronage, not merit or need, is the currency of advancement in Karnataka. The result of appeasement is evident in Muslims who appear to maintain the socio-political perspective of the pre-Independence era, according to which they belong to a separate class within the nation. Karnataka has suffered more than benefited from Congress party’s obsessive politics of minority appeasement.
Karnataka, once a beacon of economic prosperity, now teeters on the brink of financial ruin. The Siddaramaiah Government inherited a surplus economy from Basavaraj Bommai whose last budget in Feb 2023 had proposed a revenue surplus of Rs 402 crore, breaking the trend of revenue deficit budgets. Siddaramiah as a CM and Finance Minister has managed to push the State towards bankruptcy through a dangerous cocktail of misguided policies (freebies) and alleged corruption.
Perilous Path of Revdi Politics
At the heart of Karnataka’s economic woes lies the Government’s obsession with “revdi politics” — a strategy of distributing freebies (mostly to minority vote bank of Congress) as earmarked in the budget to the tune of Rs 52,000 crores with reckless abandon has rocked the State’s economy. While social welfare is crucial, the Siddaramaiah administration’s approach has been shortsighted at best and disastrous at worst. These populist measures targeting only certain sections of society have failed to uplift genuinely poor people overall, and have certainly drained the State’s coffers and set Karnataka on a collision course with economic reality. The Government’s reckless spending spree has left Karnataka’s coffers empty, yet the audacity of their actions knows no bounds. In a move that can only be described as adding insult to injury, the administration has hired an agency named “Write People” to measure the effectiveness of their freebie implementation — at a staggering cost of Rs 9.25 crore to the taxpayers. This expenditure, at a time when the State is struggling to meet its basic financial obligations, is nothing short of scandalous.
But the fiscal irresponsibility doesn’t end there. A relatively unknown entity, “The Policy Front,” has been awarded a Rs 50 crore contract to publicise Government schemes and freebies on social media platforms. One can’t help but wonder: is this a genuine attempt at public outreach, or a thinly veiled effort to manipulate public opinion using taxpayer money? These questionable contracts raise serious concerns about transparency and accountability in governance. When BJP MLC Ravikumar sought answers from Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in the Vidhana Parishad regarding these expenditures, he was met with deafening silence. The lack of response from the Government to his questions in the upper house only fuels suspicions of impropriety and misuse of public funds. In a display of tone-deafness that borders on the absurd, there’s now a proposal for a 15-day foreign tour for heads of various committees, including the Public Accounts Committee. This extravagant junket comes at a time when Rs 8.92 lakh milk producers in the State haven’t received their due payments, totalling a whopping Rs 602.84 crore, due to a lack of funds. The contrast between the Government’s lavish spending on itself and its inability to pay hardworking farmers is stark and deeply troubling.
As Karnataka slides further into economic turmoil, we must demand accountability. The Siddaramaiah Government must answer for its reckless policies, explain the rationale behind its punitive tax hikes, and address the corruption allegations that have tarnished its reputation.
But will the CM take responsibility and resign? It’s a million dollar question. It’s time for a course correction. Karnataka deserves better than a Government that prioritises corruption and appeasement.
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