Telangana BJP SC Morcha to besiege SC Corporation offices, seeks White Paper on Dalit funds

The Telangana BJP Scheduled Caste (SC) Morcha has announced plans to lay siege to SC Corporation offices in every district on Tuesday, accusing the Congress government of pursuing policies it describes as anti-Dalit and of failing to honour its welfare commitments. The organisation has also demanded that the government release a White Paper on how funds earmarked for Dalit welfare have been used.

In a statement, SC Morcha State president Kanthi Kiran alleged that the government has neglected Dalit welfare and diverted money meant for the community. He said welfare was being shown through what he called statistical jugglery on paper, while unemployed Dalit youth continued to struggle without tangible benefits.

Mr. Kiran referred to remarks by Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka in the Assembly, where the government said it had allocated close to ₹1.20 lakh crore under the Scheduled Caste Special Development Fund (SCSDF) across the 2024, 2025 and 2026 financial years — roughly ₹40,000 crore a year. He contended that there is little evidence of these funds reaching beneficiaries on the ground.

The BJP leader also questioned the Congress's Chevella Declaration promise of ₹12 lakh in financial assistance to every Dalit family. He claimed that although nearly five lakh applications had been received under the Rajiv Yuva Vikasam self-employment scheme, none had been approved or implemented so far.

Mr. Kiran said three Right to Information (RTI) applications filed with the Hyderabad District SC Corporation and District Collectors had failed to yield expenditure details, which he described as a serious concern. He asked that the proposed White Paper set out department-wise allocations from the SC Development Fund, the actual expenditure incurred, and the number of beneficiaries who received assistance under self-employment schemes.

Separately, BJP leaders including party spokesperson N.V. Subash, vice-president B. Narsaiah Goud and Legislature Party leader A. Maheshwar Reddy condemned what they called an anti-Chief Election Commissioner rally, accusing the State government of misusing the police machinery to suppress the Opposition while allowing Congress-backed protests against a constitutional authority.

The leaders alleged that the Congress was targeting CEC Gyanesh Kumar because it was uncomfortable with steps aimed at ensuring greater integrity of electoral rolls. Dr. Goud challenged Congress governments in various States to resign if they had doubts about the electoral process, while Mr. Reddy demanded evidence to back the allegations against the Election Commission, saying recent clarifications had reinforced public confidence in constitutional institutions.