Senior BJP leader and Leader of Opposition in the Karnataka Assembly, R. Ashoka, criticized the Karnataka government for its proposed “re-verification”, “re-registration”, and “special drive” for beneficiaries of welfare guarantee schemes. Ashoka questioned the government’s intentions behind the exercise, stating that the Congress government’s sudden actions seemed like a new drama rather than a genuine effort.
He raised concerns about the necessity of a special campaign for routine administrative processes like removing deceased persons from beneficiary lists. Ashoka also questioned why underprivileged individuals were being asked to undergo fresh registration procedures and stand in queues again to access benefits, suspecting hidden motives behind these actions.
The BJP leader expressed worries about the potential impact of the re-verification process on payments under schemes like Gruha Lakshmi, Anna Bhagya, Shakti, and Yuva Nidhi. He demanded clear answers from the Congress government regarding the continuity of guarantee schemes, release of funds during re-registration, the number of people to be removed from beneficiary lists, and the schemes’ future post-local body elections.
Ashoka accused the government of politicizing the welfare schemes and disrespecting the poor by treating them as suspects after promising guarantees during elections. He emphasized that such actions were insulting to the people of Karnataka, especially women, and questioned the government’s sincerity in upholding its commitments.
Deputy Chief Minister and State Congress President, D.K. Shivakumar, mentioned that the government was reviewing beneficiary records to address instances of misuse.
