On July 29, activists from the Karnataka Dalit Sangharsh Samiti Swabhimani (Prof. B. Krishnappa faction) staged a protest in Mangaluru, alleging that funds earmarked for the development of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (SC/ST) under the SCSP (Scheduled Castes Sub-Plan) and TSP (Tribal Sub-Plan) Act were being misappropriated for the state’s guarantee schemes. The protest, which took place near the clock tower in the city centre, saw hundreds of participants chanting slogans against the government while singing revolutionary songs accompanied by the beating of traditional tamata drums.
The protesters demanded that funds allocated for SC/ST development schemes be immediately restored and not diverted for other purposes. They also called for the formation of a vigilance committee to monitor the allocation and usage of these grants. Among their other demands were the provision of free education from primary to higher levels using SCSP and TSP funds, self-employment allowances for unemployed SC/ST individuals, financial assistance for building well-equipped homes, and the distribution of five acres of land to each landless individual. The protesters also called for the continuation of the incentive money for students and an increase in the number of beneficiaries for self-employment schemes under Dr B.R. Ambedkar Corporation, with authority over the final beneficiary list being given to the respective district collectors.
State Organizing Coordinator M. Devdas addressed the crowd, accusing the Siddaramaiah government of misusing crores of rupees from the SC/ST development budget to fund guarantee schemes over the past year. He criticised the government for implementing these plans without foresight, arguing that Karnataka, a state with a high tax revenue, should not face financial problems. Devdas alleged that the current actions of the government were an attempt to suppress the progress of Dalit communities.
He further stated that during the last elections, nine organisations had united to form a struggle committee that worked to bring a pro-people government to power, resulting in 95 per cent of SC/ST votes going to Congress. Devdas questioned the effectiveness of Social Welfare Minister HC Mahadevappa, suggesting that the issues could be resolved if he took the matter seriously.
District Coordinator Raghu K. Ekkar echoed these sentiments, accusing the government of betraying the Dalit community by using funds meant for their development of guarantee schemes. He highlighted the struggle to remove the previous “communalist” government in favour of a secular one, only to be disappointed by the current administration’s actions.
Apart from Dalits the opposition BJP raised voice against diversion of funds alleging congress government is anti dalit which proved by action.
Speaking to reporters, BJP MP Basavaraja Bommai criticised the government’s decision to reallocate SCSP-TSP funds, calling it detrimental to the development of the SC/ST community. He pointed out that the state government had approved only Rs 23,000 crore for the SCSP-TSP scheme instead of the intended Rs 34,000 crore, which he described as a violation of the SCP Act and a betrayal of the community by the Congress.
Bommai also took aim at Social Welfare Minister HC Mahadevappa, suggesting that his acceptance of this reallocation demonstrated the government’s neglectful attitude towards the SC/ST community.
Former Minister and BJP leader Govinda Karajola joined the chorus of criticism, demanding that the Rs 11,000 crore transferred to the guarantee scheme be returned. He suggested that Rs 2,500 crore of this amount should be allocated for the construction of hostels and residential schools for Scheduled Castes and Tribes and another Rs 2,500 crore for land purchases for residential schools. Karajola further proposed that Rs 1,000 crore be used for the Ganga Kalyana Yojana, a scheme that provides subsidised loans for SC/ST communities. He warned that if the government continued what he called “cheating” the SC/ST communities by misusing their funds, there would be statewide protests.
Dalit organisations have also condemned the government’s actions. Mavalli Shankar, Chief Convener of the Karnataka Dalit Sangharsh Samiti (Ambedkar Vada), labelled the decision to use Rs 11,000 crore earmarked for SC/ST development for other purposes as illegal. He criticised the government’s earlier move to repeal Section 7-D of the Act, which allowed for such reallocation, and demanded that all funds intended for SC/ST development be used strictly for their intended purpose.
Shankar also pointed out the inconsistency of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s actions, noting that he had opposed the misuse of SCSP and TSP funds during the previous BJP-led government but now appeared to be condoning similar actions within his own administration.
The issue has wider implications for the current Congress government in Karnataka, which had previously declared its commitment to the empowerment of Dalits. Protesters and political opponents alike are now questioning the government’s dedication to this cause, particularly in light of the reallocation of SCSP-TSP funds.
B Rajasekharamurthy, another prominent figure, criticised ministers and MLAs from reserved constituencies, accusing them of failing to stand up to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on this issue. He called for an investigation into the implementation of the SCSP-TSP scheme during the previous BJP government and demanded reforms to ensure that the scheme achieves its original goal of uplifting poor Dalits.
