Demanding a vote on a non-governmental bill brought by them for Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) sub-plans funds allocation, the opposition Congress on Thursday staged a walkout from the Gujarat Assembly.

The non-governmental bill, Gujarat Scheduled Caste (SC) sub-plan and Scheduled Tribe (ST) sub-plan schemes (financial instruments planning allocation and utilisation), was brought by Congress MLA Naushad Solanki in the ongoing 2020-21 budget session of the Gujarat Assembly on Thursday.

After Speaker Rajendra Trivedi rejected Solanki's request for a vote on the bill to get it passed, the Congress MLAs rushed to the well of the House, sat down in the well and started sloganeering.

Later, they staged a walkout from the Assembly.

"The bill brought by Naushad Solanki was for the welfare of our community. The 15 per cent allocation meant for our community is not utilised for the welfare and development of the SC and ST," said Anil Joshiyara, MLA from Khedbrahma.

"Compared to the total budget size of Rs 2,17,287 crore a very insignificant amount has been allotted by the government for both the communities and even that is not being utilised," he added.

"The money allocated for the sub-plan of the SC and ST in the budget is being used for other purposes. The SC and ST members of the House from the BJP party had assured us of supporting the bill and we wanted a vote on the bill so that it could be brought into effect, but the Speaker rejected our request," said Naushad Solanki.

Solanki said the sub-plan funds are being wasted on information department advertisements, Garib Kalyan Mela, National Good Governance Day celebrations, buying wheat at MSP, International Women's Day celebrations, World Environment Day celebrations, construction of Statue of Unity, women conventions, advertisements for swine flu awareness, Gujarat foundation day celebrations, mega job fairs, etc.

"The BJP is snatching away the morsel of food from the mouths of 22 per cent population of Gujarat consisting of SC and ST community. These communities are eligible for direct benefit of their sub-plans under the law which is being misused for other purposes. The wastage of funds mentioned by Solanki has been obtained from government records under the RTI and is all true," Jignesh Mevani told IANS.