New Delhi, March 28 (PTI) The BJP on Friday called AAP and the Congress “anti-Dalit”, alleging that the Arvind Kejriwal-led party underutilised Dalit welfare schemes’ funds in Delhi while the Congress government in Karnataka has introduced 4 per cent quota for Muslims to take away the rights of the Scheduled Caste (SC) members.
There was no immediate reaction from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Congress to the BJP’s charge.
Addressing a press conference here at the BJP headquarters, party national spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia said the erstwhile government of AAP in Delhi allocated Rs 70 crore for the implementation of the Jai Bhim Mukhyamantri Pratibha Vikas scheme in 2022-23 but did not utilise any amount from the earmarked fund.
In the 2023-24 Budget, it reduced the budgetary outlay on this head to Rs 20 crore and utilised just Rs 1 lakh of the allocated fund, he added.
Citing other examples, Bhatia said the erstwhile AAP government allocated Rs 65 crore for improvement of Dalit ‘bastis’ (settlements) in the city in the 2020-21 Budget but utlilised only Rs 50 lakh, less than 1 per cent.
On the contrary, “outright dishonest” Kejriwal spent crores of rupees in advertisement, he charged.
Bhatia said Kejriwal had promised to appoint a deputy chief minister in Punjab from the Dalit community but he is yet to fulfil it.
“This is the proof of his anti-Dalit mindset,” he charged, adding, “Both AAP and the Congress are anti-Dalit.” The BJP spokesperson alleged that the Congress’ anti-Dalit face stood exposed with its government in Karnataka recently introducing 4 per cent reservation for Muslims in civil works in the state.
“We want to know from Rahul Gandhi whether he reads the Constitution of India and takes its oath, or the Constitution of some other country, may be Italy,” he said and asked the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha to tell where it is written in the Indian Constitution that reservation in civil works can be provided on the basis of religion.
Bhatia alleged that the Karnataka government’s decision to provide 4 per cent reservation to Muslims in civil works also reveals how appeasement politics is dominating the Congress.
“This is the thinking of Rahul Gandhi,” he charged.
The BJP spokesperson alleged that 4 per cent reservation for Muslims in Karnataka will take away the rights of the people belonging to backward communities. He asked the Congress leadership why such a provision was not made for Sikhs, Christians, Jains, Buddhists and Parsis when the move was intended to ensure the welfare of the minority community.
“They say that they want to help the poor Muslims… One who will give an application for a contract work worth Rs 2 crore (under 4 per cent quota) will have to deposit lakhs of rupees as earnest money,” he said, and asked, “Who are these poor Muslims?” PTI PK PK KSS KSS
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