Bengaluru: Social Welfare Minister B Sriramulu’s statement that funds from the Scheduled Castes Sub-Allocation and Tribal-Sub Allocation Act (SCS, TSP) would be diverted to build a flyover sparked outrage in the Karnataka Assembly on Wednesday as Dalit leaders across all parties took objection to the move.

Prime among the objectors was BJP MLA P Rajeev from the Kudachi constituency, who raked up the issue during the Zero Hour. He insisted that the project be scrapped immediately.

Defending the move, Sriramulu informed that the finance department had requested that the funds be diverted, to which he agreed. There was, however, no account given regarding how much money was already utilised from the fund.

Expressing outrage over the move, CLP leader and former chief minister Siddaramaiah slammed the government stating that “it is not right to use the money allotted for the Dalits for any other purpose”. “This is a grave injustice and a fraud against the Dalits,” he charged while on the floor of the House.

KPCC president and Kanakapura MLA D K Shivakumar accused the BJP of being anti-Dalit and demanded that Deputy Cheif Minister Govid Karjol resign. Karjol was the social welfare minister before B Sriramulu took on the portfolio a few months ago.

Owing to the charged discussion, Sriramalu was forced to change the government’s decision and he clarified later the funds would not be diverted.

The law states that an allocation for the community in the budget should be strictly proportional to the population of SC/STs and that the same shall be “non-lapsable” and “non-divertible”.