BENGALURU: The Opposition on Thursday slammed the State government for its Arundathi and Maithreyi schemes for the Brahmin bride and her family, saying that priority should be given to providing basic amenities, instead of taking up such initiatives.
The Karnataka State Brahmin Development Board has announced the Arundathi scheme under which the family of a bride from economically weaker sections will get Rs 25,000 in aid. Under Maithreyi, the board offers Rs 3 lakh to the bride if she marries an archak. This has been criticised widely, with the Opposition saying that if the government wants to uplift the community, it should focus on education and empowerment of women.
KPCC Working President Eshwar Khandre told TNIE that the Congress is not against the government helping people from economically weaker sections, but going by its present financial status, the State needs to take up schemes and initiatives on priority.
Khandre said that thousands of houses collapsed during floods, farmers are in distress, teachers are not getting salaries, health workers need to be empowered and Kalyana Karnataka region has been totally neglected. Works and schemes announced in the budget have not been implemented. “I don’t know what is their intention behind announcing such community-based programmes.
I can see political agenda and nothing else,” he added. Another Congress leader said the BJP is ridiculing the community with such schemes. “There are many ways to empower people who are in distress -- let them give loans and improve their financial status. This is not going to work. If we say something, they will brand us anti-Brahmin. We are not against them, but some sensible schemes should be implemented,” he said.