Bengaluru, Sep 9 (IANS): The Karnataka government's scheme to provide Rs 3 lac financial assistance to minority community for purchasing taxi or goods vehicles has created a controversy.

Union Minister for State for Entrepreneurship, Skill Development, Electronics and Technology, Rajeev Chandrasekhar slamming the Congress government in the state, said, "Here comes another example of shameless, lazy, appeasement politics by Rahul's Congress in Karnataka."

"Buy a vehicle for Rs 6 lakh, using 50 per cent subsidy, sell it the next day for Rs 5 lac. Cool profit of Rs 2 lac. Only available for non-Hindus and does not include poor deprived Hindu communities," he said.

Rajeev Chandrasekhar

"Shameless bribing of a community by using public resources meant for all Kannadigas. Brazen discrimination and violation of Article 14 of Constitution from a party that goes abroad and talks of Bharat's Constitution being under threat.

"State sponsored Conversion inducement. This is the appeasement and corrupt politics of dynasts UPA and I.N.D.I.A alliance," Chandrasekhar said.

Responding to Chandrasekhar, state Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao said, "You are forgetting that this scheme was there even during your BJP government. Don't let your blind hatred for the minorities make you look like a fool. Correct your stupid tweet."

Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya objecting to the scheme stated that Congress to fund its freebies, is increasing guidance value by 30 per cent, has doubled electricity charges, hiked excise duty, milk prices, road tax and also plans to extract 5 per cent cess.

"Now Karnataka's middle class will fund a 'religion targeted scheme', specifically designed for minorities, that gives Rs 3 lakh as subsidy to buy vehicles. Congress goes to any extent to appease its core voter base even if it means to undermine hardworking tax paying middle class families," he stated.

The Karnataka Minorities Development Corporation Limited Scheme poster stated that under the scheme, a subsidy of 50 per cent on vehicle value or up to a maximum of Rs 3 lac will be given to each beneficiary to buy auto rickshaw, taxi, goods vehicles. The last date for the application is mentioned as September 25.