Haveri (Karnataka) Jul 6 (IANS): Karnataka's former Chief Minister and BJP MP Basavaraj Bommai has accused the state government of misusing funds allocated for SC/ST schemes introduced during the elections, thereby deceiving these communities.

Speaking at a press conference in Shiggaon town in Haveri district on Saturday, he said that, “The SC/ST communities were supposed to receive Rs 14,000 crores in funding. However, all funds are being diverted to guarantees.”

The Congress claims they were benefiting the SC/ST communities through guarantees, but legally, the funds should go to the benefit of SC and ST communities. This was a violation of the law, as they had promised to utilise the funds allocated for those two communities specifically for them before the elections, Bommai stated.

The Congress has used the SC/ST funds for election schemes, thereby cheating these communities. If the governments were stable, they wouldn’t have touched their funds. They have also looted funds from the Valmiki Corporation. The state government is betraying the SC, ST and OBC communities, Bommai stated.

The state government's insolvency was evident at every step. They have hiked the prices of petrol and diesel, along with other prices, and were diverting funds to guarantee schemes, Bommai said.

To cover up its failures, the MP said the state government was underreporting the number of dengue deaths. People from Haveri have had to travel to Davangere and Hubballi for proper treatment, even after patients died due to inadequate treatment. The government is concealing these deaths.

Bommai said he had earlier warned about the rise in dengue cases, but the government did not take any measures.