Mysuru, Feb 21:(DHNS): In a bid to appease dalits and silence his detractors, especially after the growing demand for a dalit chief minister, Siddaramaiah on Friday said, “I am also a dalit.”

The chief minister’s trusted men in the Cabinet, PWD Minister Dr H C Mahadevappa and Social Welfare Minister Anjaneya, also showered praises on him.

Addressing the gathering after laying the foundation stone for “Sasya Kashi” (abode of plants), and inaugurating Dr B R Ambedkar Bhavan and statue here, Siddaramaiah sought to redefine the term dalit.

“Not just the people belonging to scheduled caste and scheduled tribe, the oppressed lot and the poor, irrespective of the community, are also dalits and nobody can distance me from them,” he said.

Claiming that he was vastly inspired by Dr B R Ambedkar, Siddaramaiah said: “Ambedkar dreamt of an egalitarian society with equal distribution of power and wealth. Likewise, in an effort to uplift the poor and downtrodden, funds were distributed on par with the SC, ST population of 24.1 per cent in the State.”
Substantiating his assertion with statistics, the chief minister said: “After introducing the Separate Compact Plan and Tribal Sub-Plan Act during the winter session in Belagavi, Rs 15,830 crore was kept aside for the welfare of the dalits as against Rs 8,600 crore during the regime of previous governments.”

Apart from enhancing funds, officials were told to ensure that the amount sanctioned was spent on welfare programmes in the same year, or else action will be initiated against them, the chief minister said.

Soon after assuming office as chief minister, “Anna Bhagya” scheme was announced, which ensures 30 kg of rice at Re one per kg, the benefits of which is being reaped by the poor and economically weaker sections, irrespective of their community, he said.