Karnataka’s Cong govt takes fight against Centre to Delhi, to protest today at Jantar Mantar
BENGALURU: Stepping up the attack on the BJP-led government at the Centre, the ruling Congress in Karnataka led by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah will stage a protest in New Delhi on Wednesday, alleging “injustice” to the State in tax devolution and grants-in-aid over the past few years.
The protest by all Congress legislators and MPs from the state, including Ministers that comes ahead of the ensuing Lok Sabha polls will begin at 11 am tomorrow at Jantar Mantar in the national capital. The protesters would demand Centre set right the losses allegedly incurred by Karnataka to the tune of Rs 1.87 lakh crore, during five years under the 15th finance commission.
Incidentally, CPI (M) veteran and Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, along with his Cabinet colleagues will stage a protest in the national capital against the Centre’s alleged negligence towards the southern state on February 8.
Siddaramaiah had said the protest was aimed at attracting the attention of the Central government and the people of the country towards the state’s concerns. So far the state had never staged a protest in Delhi, but due to “unavoidable reasons”, a situation has come now, for it to do so.
He also urged the Opposition BJP and its Lawmakers, especially MPs from the state to join the agitation in the interest of Karnataka, as the struggle was against the “injustice” caused to the state, and not against the saffron party.
He has written to all MPs from Karnataka including those from the BJP requesting them to join the protest. Central ministers from the state including Nirmala Sitharaman (Rajya Sabha member) and Pralhad Joshi have also been invited.
The protest comes amid Congress’ efforts to justify the concerns articulated by its MP from Bangalore Rural D K Suesh, who claimed last week that taxes collected from the south were being distributed to north India and that the former were not getting their due share. The southern states will be compelled to demand for a separate nation if the ‘injustice’ was not rectified.
This move of staging a protest in Delhi has come amid a section within the ruling Congress in Karnataka proposing that Siddarmaiah take a lead in forming a forum of southern states to ensure equitable distribution of resources from the Centre, including devolution of taxes from the divisible pool.
