Cong govt”s protest in Delhi against “injustice” to State, not against BJP: CM Siddaramaiah

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday said the protest by the Congress government in New Delhi on February seven is against the ‘injustice’ by the Union government in tax devolution and grants-in-aid to the State, and not against BJP.

Listing out ”injustice” caused to the state, he urged the opposition BJP to join the agitation in the interest of the state, as the struggle was not against it.

”On February 7, all the Ministers and all MLAs of both the Houses of the legislature, also MPs, are going to agitate against the Government of India for injustice caused to Karnataka state by the 15th Finance Commission and several other issues concerning the state including grants from the Centre,” Siddaramaiah told a press conference here.

He said the agitation would be held at Jantar Mantar in the national capital as he urged BJP MPs from the state to also participate in it. ”The struggle is not between Congress and the BJP or against the BJP, it is against injustice caused to Karnataka state,” Siddaramaiah added.

Pointing out that as per the 14th Finance Commission Karnataka got a share of about 4.71 percent of taxes, and 3.64 percent of taxes as per the 15th Finance Commission, the Chief Minister said, because of this the loss to the state is to the tune of Rs 62,098 crore in taxes.

Further noting that the state government has submitted a memorandum to the Government of India regarding the severe drought situation in the state, Siddaramaiah said, the crop loss is to the tune of Rs 35,000 crore, and Karnataka has requested the Centre to release Rs 17,901 crore from National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF), but has not received any relief so far.

”After we submitted the memorandum to the Government of India, the central team had come to Karnataka and visited the affected areas, and submitted a report to the Centre, but so far no meeting has been held by the Government of India to look into the report submitted by the central team. So far we have not received a single paisa from the Centre through NDRF,” he said.

Stating that the opposition BJP has been making false allegations against the Government of Karnataka alleging that it has not paid any relief towards crop compensation, Siddaramaiah said the state government has released Rs 2,000 as first installment to each of the affected farmers benefiting 34 lakh of them.

”About Rs 650 crore has been released for this. In addition to that, more than Rs 800 crore are with Deputy Commissioners of districts to take up relief works, and to provide drinking water, fodder, and other necessities,” he said.

Alleging that despite the opposition BJP having 27 MPs (including one independent and one from JDS) on its side, ”they have not opened their mouth” either in the Parliament or with the government, the Chief Minister said, adding, the Ministers who are representing Karnataka in the NDA government have also not spoken to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah about the state’s concerns.