The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : ‘Upper castes' given plum portfolios, says Ugrappa

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Karnataka

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‘Upper castes' given plum portfolios, says Ugrappa

Special Correspondent

BANGALORE: The former Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council V.S. Ugrappa on Saturday criticised the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for giving the upper caste legislators a lion's share in prime portfolios and for allocating minor departments with lesser funds to the Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes, backward classes and minorities.

In a press release, Mr. Ugrappa said 12 out of 30 districts had not been represented in the Cabinet, leading to regional imbalance.

The backward classes, who constituted 7 per cent of the population had been given four berths, while SCs and STs with 17 and 6.6 per cent population got six and two berths, respectively.

The Veerashaivas, who comprised 16 per cent, had 11 berths, including the Chief Minister's post, the Vokkaligas with 10 per cent got five, minorities with 14 per cent population two including one Muslim and Brahmins with 3.8 per cent four berths. This lopsided representation to social groups in the Ministry in the State was unheard of, he added.

Mr. Ugrappa said the portfolios of Higher Education, Medical Education, Primary and Secondary Education and Law and Urban Development had been entrusted to Brahmins.

The departments of Finance, Water Resources, Large and Medium Industries, Public Works, Excise, the Bangalore Development Authority, Rural Development and Panchayat Raj, Revenue were taken by Veerashaivas and Home, Transport, Power, Labour, Tourism and Revenue were allocated to Vokkaligas.

Most minor portfolios were given to the SCs, STs, OBCs and minorities, the exception being the Social Welfare. With this kind of portfolio distribution, he said that huge funds had been put in the hands of the powerful castes and communities and the others had been neglected with meagre budgetary allocations.

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