Hitting out at the Congress government in Karnataka over the issue of diversion of SC/ST funds, the BJP on Friday alleged that the money allocated for the welfare of SCs and STs in the state is being used to fulfill the guarantees made by Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi during the state assembly polls held last year.

Addressing a press conference here, Union Minister and senior BJP leader Arjun Ram Meghwal said there has been diversion of SC/ST funds in Karnataka of a big amount.

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Meghwal claimed that an amount of over Rs 14,730 crore out of Rs 39,121 crore given for the SC and ST welfare in Karnataka, has been diverted by the state government to fulfill the guarantees of Congress which were made by the grand old party during the state assembly polls.

Slamming the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, the senior BJP leader said, “Rahul Gandhi is roaming around ‘holding the Constitution’. Notably, there is a provision in the Constitution that the amount allocated for the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes will be spent for their welfare. But in Karnataka, the money allocated for the welfare of SCs and STs is being used to fulfill the guarantees given by Rahul Gandhi.”

“This is a blatant violation of the Constitution,” Meghwal said.

“The Congress government of Karnataka is strangulating the welfare of the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe society,” the Union Minister added.