BENGALURU: The Opposition BJP on Tuesday slammed the Chief Minister Siddaramaiah government for not releasing grants to the Vishwa Ganiga Trust, after the seer from the community, Poornanandapuri Swami, made allegations against Backward Classes Welfare Minister Shivaraj Tangadagi.
The seer heads the Thaileshwara Ganiga Mahasamsthana Mutt that runs the trust. He has alleged that the minister is not releasing grants that were announced in the budget. BJP state president BY Vijayendra said that on one hand, Siddaramaiah talks about the upliftment of the backward classes, while on the other, there is discrimination.
Expressing displeasure, Vijayendra said Siddaramiah takes the name of backward classes when it comes to votes and power. But in reality, they are neglecting backward communities. The Ganiga community comes under the most backward classes community and the grants alloted for the Vishwa Ganiga Samudaya Trust has been withheld, which is unfortunate, he said. “Minister Tangadagi is causing hurdles for this trust from getting grants. This shows the real face of the Congress government,’’ he said.
Vijayendra said Poornanandapuri Swamiji (BJ Puttaswamy was his earlier name), who also served as cooperation minister before taking up sanyasa during Jagadish Shettar’s reign has been working for the upliftment of the Ganiga community through his mutt. But the government has not released funds to them, he said.