A prominent religious leader has alleged that former Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah sanctioned a disproportionate share of backward-class welfare funds to organisations linked to his own Kuruba community on the final day of his tenure, raising questions about the government's stated commitment to social justice. The allegations were made in Bengaluru on Thursday, 11 June.

What the Seer Alleged

Pranavananda Swamiji, president of the Forum of Heads of the Most Backward Class Maths, told reporters he had obtained a copy of a Finance Department order under which ₹75 crore was released to 171 organisations and institutions. He alleged that out of ₹138 crore reserved for backward-class welfare, ₹78 crore was disbursed in a single day — the day before Siddaramaiah demitted office — with a majority reportedly flowing to Kuruba-linked bodies.

According to Pranavananda Swamiji, 89 organisations associated with the Kuruba community were sanctioned funds, while only eight Madivala community centres, two Yadava community centres, and one each from the Helava and Savita communities received grants. He claimed that 60 to 70 per cent of the total allocation went to Kuruba-linked entities, despite the backward-classes category comprising 104 communities including Ediga, Kumbara, Vishwakarma, Shivasimpi, and Pinjara.

Regional and Trust-Level Concerns

The seer also questioned the concentration of grants in Siddaramaiah's home region, alleging that 13 community centres in T. Narasipura taluk received assistance. He further claimed that the Rakesh Siddaramaiah Trust in Gadag was sanctioned ₹50 lakh. Rakesh Siddaramaiah, the elder son of the former Chief Minister, passed away on 30 July 2016 at the age of 39 due to multiple organ failure caused by acute pancreatitis, at Antwerp University Hospital in Brussels, Belgium.

Siddaramaiah's Record Under Scrutiny

Pranavananda Swamiji directly challenged Siddaramaiah's long-held positioning as a champion of the AHINDA coalition — an acronym representing minorities, backward classes, and Dalits in Karnataka politics. 'Former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has always spoken about equality and social justice. He claims to be a representative of the AHINDA communities and particularly of Dalits. If that is the case, how does this allocation reflect the principles of AHINDA?' the seer said. Notably, Siddaramaiah hails from the Kuruba community, which falls within the backward-classes category.

The seer was careful to clarify that he was not opposed to government funding for any community. 'We are not against providing funds to any community. The government should support everyone. But nearly 60 per cent of the funds have gone to one community,' he said, calling for equitable distribution across all 104 backward-class communities.

Government Response

Karnataka Home Minister Priyank Kharge responded to the allegations in Bengaluru on Thursday, asserting that the government had no intention of being unjust to any community. 'We are not the government of any one community. Justice must be delivered to all communities... At times, some communities may receive more funds and others less. Our government is still in office, and if any imbalance exists, we will rectify it. Necessary corrections will be made in the coming year,' Kharge said.

The controversy comes amid broader scrutiny of last-minute administrative decisions made by outgoing state governments, and is likely to intensify political debate over welfare fund allocation practices in Karnataka ahead of future electoral cycles.