A recent analysis by an Ahmedabad-based advocacy group, ‘Rehnuma’ revealed that that “model” Gujarat has seen the lowest budgetary allocation for the minorities among the seven states it examines. This refutes the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s propaganda “sabka saath, sabka vikas” (cooperation of all, development of all). The advocacy group which works on exclusion and discrimination issues of religious minorities, prepared a report, “Minority Appeasement: Myth or Reality? A Ground Report on Minority Welfare in 7 States.” The report pointed out that the allocation for Gujarat was a mere Rs 51.44 crore in 2017-18, the highest allocation was found to have been made in West Bengal, Rs 3,470.78 crore.
According to the report, among the HBA states, Karnataka’s budget shows the sharpest rise from Rs. 845.02 crore to Rs. 2199.94 crore between 2015-16 and 2017-18 while the Gujarat among the LBA states showed a sharp downward trend.
As reported by National Herald, interestingly none of the seven states it has analyzed have seen a change in government in these last three years.
The report says that in Telangana, the infrastructure development is specifically concentrated around education (34% just on residential schools and hostels). Pointing towards “financially supporting the marriage of minority girls called ‘Shaadi Mubarak’ (12%), the report states, “Of all the seven state budgets including the LBA states, Telangana reports the lowest allocation under MsDP, Rs 30 lakh, which is nominal.”