Karnataka Minister Laxmi Hebbalkar apologises for ‘wrong’ information on Gruha Lakshmi payment after BJP stages dharna

Women and Child Development Minister Laxmi Hebbalkar on December 17 apologised in the Karnataka Assembly for giving wrong information to the House on payment of Gruha Laksmi scheme installments, after the BJP members staged a protest demanding an apology.

A few days ago, the Minister, in her reply to BJP member Mahesh Tenginakayi, had claimed that the government of Karnataka had cleared all the pending installment towards Gruha Lakshmi scheme till August 2025. Though the Opposition members had complained that the installments for February and March had not been paid, she had maintained that there were no pending installments.

Subsequently, when it had turned out that the installments for these two months had not been paid, the Opposition members had been urging Speaker U. T. Khader to ask the Minister to clarify.

Worth ₹5,000 crore

On December 17, the Opposition members insisted that the minister should clarify to the House immediately and also tender an apology to 1.26 crore beneficiaries. They accused the Minister of misleading the House. Pointing out that the two installments amounted to nearly ₹5,000 crore, they urged her to let the House know where did the money went. They commenced a dharna in the well of the House, forcing the Speaker to adjourn the House for a short while.

Ms. Hebbalkar, who came to the House when it re-assembled, admitted that she had come to know that money had not been paid for the two months when she checked with officials. “I did not have any intention of either misleading the House or furnishing false information. I will express regret if anyone is hurt by my reply,” she said. “Also, I will check with the Finance Department about the funds that were not paid to the beneficiaries for the months of February and March.” So far, 23 installments amounting to ₹46,000 crore had been paid through DBT under the scheme and payment had been made till August, she said.

However, the Opposition members refused to relent and demanded an apology from her. Finally, the Minister tendered an apology, but launched a counter-attack by accusing the Opposition of targeting her because she was a woman. This angered the Opposition members who asked her to desist from playing the victim card.

BJP member V. Sunil Kumar ridiculed that the government had skipped two installments of Grua Lakshmi scheme as it was financially bankrupt.

‘Is Centre bankrurpt?’

Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar pointed out that the Centre was yet to honour its commitment of providing ₹ 5,300 crore to Karnataka for the Upper Bhadra Project and thousands of crores of rupees under MGNREGA and Jaljivan mission. “Can we say that the Centre has not transferred this amount to Karnataka because it is financially bankrupt?” he shot back. Whatever the funds are released by the Finance Department would be transferred to beneficiaries, he said.

He launched a counter attack at the BJP by maintaining that the BJP was winning various state assembly elections by copying the guarantee schemes of the Congress government.

RDPR Minister Priyank Kharge too joined the attack by accusing the BJP of even indulging in vote chori to win polls. This triggered a heated exchange of words between the ruling and the Opposition members.

Finally, the Opposition members staged a walkout expressing dissatisfaction over the Minister not announcing when the installments of February and March would be paid.