BJP leaders draw flak for 'disinformation' on state scheme

Maqsood Maniyar | NT

Bengaluru: BJP leaders such as Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya and Union Minister Rajiv Chandrasekhar have been on the receiving end of criticism for falsely claiming that tax-payers from the majority community had been funding “appeasement of a minority community.”

Chandrasekhar went so far as to claim that the scheme amounted to an inducement for religious conversion, alleging that only minorities could avail of a scheme.

They were referring to the Swawalambi Sarathi Scheme which is in fact available to Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) on even more favourable terms.

Moreover, the programme was available under the previous State BJP government but the amount of subsidies differed. Under the scheme, an unemployed person over 21 years of age from either a minority community or belonging to SC-ST categories can avail government subsidies for the purchase of either an auto-rickshaw, taxi or goods vehicle to start a business of their own.

SC-ST youth can get 75 per cent or a maximum subsidy amount of up to Rs 4 lakhs. Meanwhile, minorities are eligible for 50 per cent or a maximum subsidy amount up to Rs 3 lakhs.

No admission of fault Neither Surya nor Chandrasekhar have withdrawn their false allegations or apologised despite being corrected. While referring to the scheme, Surya had claimed that Congress had hiked taxes to pursue schemes for its support base.

“Now, Karnataka's middle class will fund a 'religion targeted scheme',specifically designed for minorities, that gives Rs 3 lakhs 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,” Surya had posted on the micro-blogging site X (previously Twitter). Chandrasekhar had branded the scheme appeasement.

“Here’s another example of shameless, lazy, appeasement politics of bribing certain communities by Rahul’s Congress in Karnataka. Buy a vehicle for Rs 6L, using 50 per cent subsidy, sell it the next day for Rs 5L. Cool profit of Rs 2L,” he posted.

“Only available for non-Hindus and does not include poor deprived Hindu communities. State sponsored conversion inducement,” he added.