The last day of winter session of Madhya Pradesh assembly witnessed bedlam from Congress MLAs of tribal community who alleged that Shivraj government was cutting down the budget meant for their community gradually over the years.
Brandishing Rs 400 cash in and outside the House, Congress MLA Onkar Singh Markam alleged that the BJP government has provisioned budget of Rs 400 for the tribal community. He was referring to MP appropriation of accounts bill 2021 which was cleared by the assembly on Thursday.
The bill under tribal affairs head shows Rs 200 under revenue and equal amount under capital head.
Under Rs 19,000 cr supplementary budget, the state government has set aside Rs 400 for the tribal community, alleged Markam after the session was adjourned. Earlier the tribal MLAs had boycotted the proceedings leading to the adjournment of the proceedings. These MLAs claimed that the tribal budget of Rs 4,000 cr provisioned in 2016-17, 2017-18 has now been curtailed to Rs 1700 cr, said Hiralal Alawa, the national convener of Jai Adivasi Yuva Shakti a tribal outfit and Alawa had been elected as a MLA on Congress ticket.
Alawa alleged that the budget meant for the tribals was splurged on Adivasi Gaurav Diwas. He added that he got a reply that the information is being compiled as he asked about the event whereas a government order specifically mentioned that Rs 12 cr out of the tribal scheme was spent on this, he added.
Part of the protesting bunch, former Home minister Bala Bachchan demanded that tribals should be given reservation in promotion and alleged that the Shivraj government is averse to the idea. He claimed that tribal schools in 5000 blocks are being merged with the Department of School Education. Rs 230 cr tribal scholarship is yet to be distributed, he added.
Home minister Narottam Mishra came down heavily on the protesting opposition saying in his 31 years of parliamentary career, he hasn’t seen such worthless opposition. The house takes up bills, resolutions and budget for discussions but they (opposition) did not discuss anything, added Mishra.
Questioning wisdom of the Congress MLAs, Mishra claimed they don’t know this simple fact that budgetary provision could be 0 or Re 1 and amount if transferred in the head later on.