BJP leader Rajkumar Patil Telkur has alleged that funds meant for the welfare of Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) under the SCs-STs Component Plan (SCSP) and Tribal Sub-Plan (TSP) have been misused by the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government in Karnataka over the past three years.

Addressing a press conference in Kalaburagi on March 5, Mr. Patil said that a total of ₹38,859 crore allocated under the SCSP and TSP grants in 2023-24 (₹11,144 crore), 2024-25 (₹14,282 crore), and 2025-26 (₹13,433 crore) had been diverted for guarantee schemes, benefiting all communities instead of the marginalised sections. “This is a clear injustice to Dalits,” he said.

“The State Government must publicly declare in the upcoming budget that SCSP-TSP funds will not be used for other schemes, and ensure that they are spent exclusively for the welfare of SCs and STs. The ₹39,000 crore misused by the State Government over the past three years should be returned to the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe.

“The government should allocate at least ₹1,000 crore for each district to take up development work, set up basic facilities, and for the welfare of Dalits. Each SC and ST corporation should receive a minimum of ₹1,000 crore.

“Funds for initiatives like the ‘Constitution Protection Campaign’ should come from the treasury rather than SCSP-TSP funds.”

Mr. Patil also called for the repeal of Section 7C, which he alleged facilitates the misuse of these dedicated funds.

He claimed that the Siddaramaiah-led government is reportedly preparing to divert an additional ₹15,000 crore in the new budget, continuing the pattern of misallocation.

“The SCSP-TSP funds belong to marginalised communities, and their diversion to benefit general schemes is unacceptable,” he reiterated.