The Siddaramaiah-led Congress government in Karnataka announced Rs 8,000 crore schemes for minorities along with several other measures, including a salary hike for Imams and a provision for financial aid, while presenting the state budget on Friday (March 7).
Among the key announcements for minorities include the allocation of Rs 150 crores for ‘Waqf property protection’, and 50 per cent reimbursement of fees to minority students enrolling for professional courses through the Karnataka Examination Authority (KEA).
Additionally, the Congress government, which has often faced allegations of using Muslim appeasement as a tool to shore up its vote bank, also declared welfare initiatives for minorities, including a Rs 1,000 crores earmarked for the Minority Development Program. The government has also announced a self-defense training program solely for girls belonging to the minority community; and Rs 100 crores for supporting Urdu medium schools. The plan also includes the construction of multipurpose halls for minorities in each taluk with the approximate cost of Rs 50 lakhs per hall.
The BJP has slammed the numerous sops for minorities by the Congress government in Karnataka as a brazen attempt to appease Muslims, terming the budget as a ‘Muslim League Budget’.
The Congress party defended the move, stating that only a small portion of the budget is being allocated for minorities.
