Karnataka Leader of Opposition R. Ashoka on Saturday, 7 November levelled a series of allegations against Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar and the state's Congress government, demanding accountability over the alleged non-payment of nearly ₹5,000 crore in Gruha Lakshmi scheme instalments for February and March 2025 and flagging what he described as systemic financial irregularities in the welfare programme's implementation.

The Unpaid Dues Allegation

Ashoka, a senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader, alleged that two consecutive monthly instalments owed to women beneficiaries under the Gruha Lakshmi scheme remained unpaid, with the outstanding amount estimated at approximately ₹5,000 crore. He accused the state government of remaining silent and evading questions when the issue was raised on the floor of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly.

The timing of his statement was pointed: the Congress government is reportedly preparing to hold district-level conventions to showcase the scheme's achievements, a move Ashoka called an exercise in publicity without accountability.

CAG Findings and Payments to Deceased Beneficiaries

Citing what he said were findings by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG), Ashoka alleged that financial irregularities and serious lapses worth more than ₹225 crore had reportedly been flagged in the scheme's implementation. He questioned who would be held responsible for those findings.

Among the specific allegations, Ashoka claimed that payments had been made in the names of 2.88 lakh deceased beneficiaries. He noted that the state government itself had acknowledged that ₹115 crore had been deposited into the accounts of deceased persons, and demanded details of the total amount transferred and how much had been recovered so far. He questioned whether any official had faced action over the lapse.

Transactions Without Bank Account Numbers

The Karnataka Leader of Opposition raised a further concern, alleging that ₹46.52 crore had been transferred through 23,262 payments without any bank account numbers being recorded. He sought clarification on who had received the funds and where the money had gone.

Ashoka also alleged that more than 10 lakh beneficiaries had been linked to a single bank account, calling it a serious lapse in the department's verification mechanism and demanding an explanation for how such an anomaly occurred.

Legal Contradiction and Political Accountability

Ashoka accused the Congress government of taking a contradictory position in court, arguing that women did not have a legal right to receive benefits under the Gruha Lakshmi scheme — a stance he contrasted sharply with the party's framing of the scheme as a right during the Karnataka Assembly elections. Critics argue this contradiction undermines the government's commitment to its own welfare guarantees.

He described the alleged irregularities as 'a dark chapter of administrative failure rather than an achievement' of the scheme and demanded that the state government explain the CAG's findings, identify officials and political functionaries responsible for payments to deceased beneficiaries, and account for the transactions made without bank account numbers.

BJP's Demands

Ashoka urged the state government to immediately release the pending ₹5,000 crore into the accounts of all eligible women. He also called for an independent investigation into the alleged irregularities — including the more than ₹225 crore flagged by the CAG and transfers to deceased beneficiaries — to be conducted under the supervision of a sitting High Court judge.

He demanded stringent criminal action against officials and intermediaries found responsible for irregularities, as well as recovery of misappropriated funds. The Congress government had not issued a formal response to the allegations at the time of reporting. With district-level conventions in the pipeline, the political pressure on the Shivakumar administration over the scheme's implementation is set to intensify.