Mysore/Mysuru: The research scholars and students staged a protest under the banner of University of Mysore Researchers Association, in front of the clock tower at Manasagangothri campus in city yesterday, in protest against the diversion of Scheduled Caste Sub-Plan (SCSP) and Tribal Sub-plan (TSP) funds, for the implementation of Congress’s five Guarantee Schemes in the State.

The protesters demanded that, the SCSP and TSP funds should be spent on the economical progress of dalits. The Section 7C of SCSP/ TSP Act should be abolished and the earlier schemes like Prabuddha Yojana for SC/ ST students and the scholarship to encourage them among others, should be continued as usual.

Varahalli Anand, a research scholar, said that, it is reported that, Congress Government in the State has diverted Rs. 25,396 crore from a total of Rs. 39,121.37 crore meant for SCP/TSP towards the implementation of five Guarantee Schemes this year. The remaining funds are also reportedly utilised for other purposes.

If Section 7D under SCSP/ TSP Act is scrapped and Section 7C is retained to enable the diversion of funds, doesn’t it amount to burying the sole purpose of earmarking funds under SCSP/ TSP? Shouldn’t we call it as cheating or not? asked Varahalli Anand.

If the funds meant for the scholarship of students, for passing SSLC, PUC, Degree and Post-Graduate exams in their first attempt, is diverted by the Social Welfare Department to keep the Guarantee Schemes alive, shouldn’t we call it as intolerance towards dalits? he questioned. Doesn’t Social Welfare Minister, who is also born as a dalit, feel the pain for resorting to cripple the children of the very own community, asked Anand, in a resenting tone.