Amit Chavda, the leader of the Congress in the Gujarat state assembly, has raised serious allegations of systematic discrimination aimed at depriving underprivileged communities, including Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), Other Backward Classes (OBC), and minorities, of access to government loans from various boards and corporations. Chavda's claims suggest a deliberate effort to perpetuate the socio-economic marginalization of these communities, echoing sentiments of institutional bias reminiscent of the RSS ideology.
In a scathing indictment of the Gujarat government's policies, Amit Chavda, leader of the Congress in the state assembly, has accused the authorities of orchestrating a meticulously planned conspiracy to deny essential financial assistance to underprivileged sections of society. Chavda's allegations, made on Monday, underscore a troubling trend of discrimination targeting marginalized communities, including SCs, STs, OBCs, and minorities, in accessing government loans administered through various boards and corporations.
Marginalized communities sidelined from opportunities for advancement: Chavda
Citing what he perceives as a glaring manifestation of the RSS mentality within governmental structures, Chavda lambasted the authorities for espousing the rhetoric of inclusive development while actively perpetuating socio-economic disparities. He emphasized the stark contrast between the government's lofty promises of "Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas" (Collective Effort, Inclusive Development) and the harsh reality faced by marginalized communities, whom he claims are systematically sidelined from opportunities for advancement.
According to Chavda, an analysis of government expenditure over the past few years reveals a disturbing pattern of neglect towards underprivileged communities. He highlighted that while substantial funds were allocated to non-reservation corporations, the financial support extended to SC, ST, OBC, and minority corporations remained grossly inadequate. For instance, in the fiscal years 2021-22, 2022-23, and 2023-24, the government allocated meager sums—Rs. 81 crore, Rs. 131 crores, and Rs. 250 crore respectively—for the upliftment of these marginalized communities. In stark contrast, non-reservation corporations received significantly larger budgets, amounting to Rs. 450 crores, Rs. 500 crores, and Rs. 600 crores for the same periods.
Chavda asserted that despite repeated appeals to address this disparity, the government has failed to rectify the situation, indicating a deliberate disregard for the socio-economic empowerment of the underprivileged. While acknowledging the importance of allocating funds to non-reservation corporations, Chavda emphasized the urgent need for equitable distribution of resources to uplift the majority of society grappling with systemic marginalization.
"We have requested the government a number of times about this discrimination. We don't have anything against the government allocating hundreds of crores for the non-reservation corporation, but a similar allocation to uplift almost 82% of the section of the society which really needs this aid, should also be done. Clearly, this shows the RSS mentality of the government to keep the underprivileged strata of the society, remain where it is and never let them uplift themselves," added Chavda.
