The Karnataka government is planning to take legal action against Aaj Tak news anchor Sudhir Chaudhary accusing him of “deliberate and malicious” misinformation about a commercial vehicle subsidy scheme for minority, SC/ST and backward classes communities.
An advertisement by a private trust said that the Karnataka Minorities Development Corporation has promised a subsidy of 50% or up to Rs 3 lakh to people from religious minorities with a household income less than Rs.4.5 lakh to purchase commercial vehicles. The Aaj Tak show focused on the advertisement and claimed that this was discriminatory and Hindus could not access the scheme. However, the anchor failed to mention that the same scheme can be availed by SC/ST community members under the Airavatha Scheme of the Dr. Ambedkar Development Corporation Limited and backward communities under the state government. Each state has corporations that deal with different communities and projects.
"The same scheme is available for minorities, SC/ST persons and backward classes persons," says Minister for IT/BT and Rural Development & Panchayat Raj Priyank Kharge. "The respective corporations call for the tenders and the budget allocations are different,” he says. In this instance, the Karnataka Minorities Development Corporation has issued a notification.
These three schemes were mentioned in the Karnataka budget announced in July 2023 and it stated that the vehicle subsidy scheme Swavalambi Sarathi can be availed by minority, SC/ST and backward classes communities.
Sudhir Chaudhary, attempted to communalise the scheme and claimed that it cannot be availed by Hindus. "This scheme is not for Hindus. What the Karnataka government is saying is even if you are extremely poor and have no money, if you are Hindu then no subsidy is given for buying a vehicle. But those who are Muslim, Sikh, Buddhists, they will get a subsidy for buying vehicles," Sudhir Chaudhary said in a news programme. Religious minorities include Muslims, Christians, Buddhists, Jains, Sikhs, and Parsis.
Priyank took to social media to say that the state government will take legal action over Sudhir Chaudhary's statement. The minister termed the statement 'deliberate and malicious'. "The anchor of Aaj Tak is deliberately spreading misinformation on Government schemes which was first started by BJP MPs and is being amplified by sections of the media. This is deliberate and malicious, the government will be taking necessary legal action," Priyank Kharge said.
The scheme in question predates the Congress government according to Manoj Jain, Secretary to the Karnataka Minority Welfare Department "The scheme was earlier for Rs. 2.5 lakh and it is now increased to Rs. 3 lakh under the Swavalambi Sarathi scheme," Manoj Jain said.
BJP MP Tejasvi Surya had earlier accused the Congress of devising a 'religion targeted scheme' and 'appeasing' Muslim voters.
The same claim was repeated by several other BJP leaders including the MP Rajeev Chandrasekhar.
However, the Karnataka Minorities Development Corporation had called for applicants from religious minority communities even in 2021 and 2022 when the BJP was in power. The Corporation's budget expenditure shows that under former chief minister Basavaraj Bommai, Rs 7.1 crore was released under the scheme in 2022-23 against a target of Rs. 15 crore. In 2021-22, Rs 5.4 crore against a target of Rs 10 crore was released. The scheme however was simply called 'Subsidies for Auto Rickshaw/Taxi/Goods Vehicle Purchases' at the time.
The Swavalambi Sarathi scheme was mentioned on three separate occasions in the Karnataka budget announced by the Congress in July 2023 and it encompasses not only religious minorities but also people from SC/ST communities and backward classes.
Swavalambi Sarathi scheme - subsidy of 75 per cent or upto Rs.4 lakh to SC/ST unemployed youth to buy 4 wheeler vehicles.
Subsidy for loans availed under Swavalambi Sarathi and Swayam Udyoga Loan schemes by unemployed youth belonging to Other Backward Classes for the purpose of self-employment.
Subsidy for loans availed under Swavalambi Sarathi and Swayam Udyoga Loan schemes by unemployed youth belonging to minority communities for the purpose of self-employment.