Karnataka to boycott NITI Aayog meeting over 'neglect' of state in budget

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday said his government had decided to boycott the NITI Aayog meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on July 27, as a mark of protest against the “neglect” of the state’s demands in the Union Budget.

He said there is no point in attending the NITI Aayog meeting, as Kannadigas are not heard. Despite my earnest efforts in calling for an all-party MPs meeting in New Delhi to discuss Karnataka’s essential needs, the Union Budget has neglected our state’s demands, Siddaramaiah said.

“Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, who also attended the meeting, has ignored the concerns of the people of Karnataka. We don’t feel that Kannadigas are heard, and hence there is no point in attending the NITI Aayog meeting,” he posted on social media platform X.

“We have decided to boycott the NITI Aayog meeting, which will be chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 27 July, as a mark of protest, he added. Stating that even the farmers’ demands to approve Mekedatu and Mahadayi projects have been ignored,” the CM said,

“There was no attempt to rectify their sin of reducing funds to our state under various categories. Funds for metro and other infra projects are still a distant dream,” he added. He said that Modi is unable to see states other than Andhra Pradesh and Bihar because “his eyes are on the position of Prime Minister”.

“His agenda is exposed in front of the people. We hope the people of our state stand with us in our fight for justice, the CM said.

Earlier in the day, speaking to reporters, Siddaramaiah termed the union budget “disappointing” and said, “As Nirmala Sitharaman is a Rajya Sabha member from Karnataka, we had expected her to do justice to the state and hoped that she would protect the interests of the state, but she hsd disappointed and done injustice to the people of Karnataka, he had said.