Bengaluru, Feb 17 (IANS): Leader of the Opposition in Karnataka Legislative Council, Chalavadi Narayanaswamy, on Monday, demanded that the Congress government clarify where the Rs 52,009 crore allocated in the state budget for the implementation of guarantee schemes is going and who is misappropriating the funds.

Speaking to the media at the BJP state office, Jagannath Bhavan, in Bengaluru, he questioned why the guarantee schemes are not reaching people on time. He stated that there is an ongoing discussion within the Congress party and government about whether these guarantees should even be implemented or not, which is causing doubts among the people.

He accused the Congress government of misusing Rs 25,000 crore meant for Dalits and stated that despite allocating Rs 52,000 crore in the budget, rice distribution has been abandoned for the past six months under the free rice scheme, the Rs 2,000 financial assistance for women heads under the Gruha Laxmi scheme has stopped, and the Yuva Nidhi scheme remains a mirage, benefiting no one.

“Where has the money gone? Why is it not reaching the people on time?” he questioned.

“If your own leaders do not support the guarantees you are giving, what kind of guarantee is this?” Narayanaswamy questioned.

He said that even Congress leaders themselves are questioning the implementation of these schemes.

“You claim to have allocated Rs 52,000 crore for guarantees. Based on calculations, the rice should have reached the beneficiaries, but that is not happening. So, where is the leakage occurring?” he asked.

“People haven’t received these benefits for the past six months. Doesn’t that mean your guarantees themselves lack any guarantee?” he remarked sarcastically.

"You have deceived and betrayed the people regarding the guarantees you promised. That is why the implementation of these schemes has failed," he charged.

The BJP leader further stated that if the government has purchased rice, it should be distributed to the people. If not, the government should at least provide a valid explanation. However, instead of being accountable, the government is resorting to flimsy excuses such as ‘server down’ or ‘lorry tyre puncture.’”

"The Chief Minister should review this matter and ensure that the six-month backlog of guarantee benefits is provided to the people," he demanded.

"Now, people are beginning to understand whether the budget presented by the government was truthful or deceptive. Even in the previous budget, only 41-45 per cent of the funds were utilised, proving that it was a poorly planned budget that failed to reach the people," he criticised.

"The people of Delhi have given Congress a good lesson through their defeat, and I thank them for it," he said.

He accused the Congress of spreading false propaganda that the BJP and RSS force Dalits to wear shorts (chaddis) on their heads.

He admitted that during earlier agitations, he had symbolically sent a pair of shorts to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to protest against Congress.

"If you look at the results of the Delhi elections, it seems that apart from the 'chaddi' I gave them, Congress has nothing left," he mocked.