EC diktat on Dalit Bandhu amuses Forum for Good Governance

Hyderabad: The communication sent by the Election Commission of India (ECI) directing the State Government not to implement Dalit Bandhu scheme in the poll-bound Huzurabad Assembly constituency till October 30 has invited mixed reactions.

The Commission had responded to a query by State Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Shashank Goel on the continuation of the Dalit Bandhu which was launched from Huzurabad assembly segment on August16.

Secretary for Forum for Good Governance Padmanabha Reddy felt that "this announcement of EC was a big joke." He said the EC should have stopped it long back. He said the State Government had already released Rs 2,000 crore to provide Rs 10-lakh financial assistance to 20,000 identified beneficiaries in the Huzurabad assembly segment alone. The district authorities have already taken up a survey to identify the eligible beneficiaries and extend the assistance directly into their bank accounts. The FGG, Reddy said, had written to EC in July saying that the government was going to launch this scheme from Huzurabad and hence it should be stopped.

But the EC did not take action as it felt that the code had not yet come into force. He said already the government had released the money and some of the beneficiaries have utilised the amount. A few others who are yet to use the money will at the most have to wait for another 12 days.

Several private organisations and people had also sent emails to the EC alleging that it amounts to buying of votes and hence should not be permitted. A social activist A Suresh Kumar had even filed a PIL in high court. On the other hand, the TRS leaders said that it was a conspiracy by anti-Dalit parties like BJP and Congress. However, there has been no official statement from the party.

Meanwhile, the state government on Monday gave a budget release order for Rs 250 crore for the implementation of the Dalit Bandhu scheme. The EC order applies only to Huzurabad constituency, but the government can implement it in Khammam, Nagarkurnool and Kamareddy districts.