Amid the Opposition’s attack on the State government’s decision to ask guarantee schemes’ beneficiaries to reapply, former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has come to support the government’s decision to review the beneficiaries’ list. On June 15, he accused the Opposition of running a misinformation campaign for political benefit.

Urging the public not to pay heed to the Opposition’s rumour-mongering, Mr. Siddaramaiah, during whose tenure the five guarantees were implemented, said that mistakes are being rectified since the beginning. He pointed out, “The BJP is basically anti-poor. It has been opposing the guarantee schemes from the beginning, but has copied the same and implemented these in Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and West Bengal.”

He said, “The benefits should reach only the eligible. When ineligible persons corner the benefits, it is the responsibility of the government to stop it. It is not only against law to commit fraud on the government by illegally benefiting, but it is also a betrayal of people’s trust.”

‘Won’t be stopped’

Meanwhile, reiterating that the guarantee schemes would not be stopped, Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar accused the Opposition of blocking any good things being implemented by the government. “What they could not achieve, we are doing it. The government is committed to providing the guarantee schemes to eligible beneficiaries.”

He said, “We have information about money going into someone’s account. There are reports of beneficiaries providing someone else’s phone number in the beginning. This scheme is only for those residing in Karnataka. Why should free power supply be given to people from outside the State? We have decided to provide identity cards to beneficiaries. We do not intend to stop the scheme.”