BJP slams Karnataka government's claim on central funds as "anti-national"

Karnataka BJP MPs protest against Congress near the Gandhi statue at the Parliament House complex during the Budget session, in New Delhi, Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2024. PTI Photo

The BJP on Wednesday lashed out at the Congress government in Karnataka over its claim that the state was not getting funds from the central pool proportionate to its contribution, saying the argument is not only against federalism but also very "anti-national".

Several Karnataka BJP MPs addressed a press conference here on the day Chief Minister Siddaramaiah led a protest against the Centre's alleged discrimination in allocation of funds to the state, with Tejasvi Surya, a Lok Sabha member, accusing him of making baseless and false allegations as his government cannot fulfil unrealistic promised made during assembly polls.

Surya said the Congress had promised 10 kg free rice to the poor before the polls but realised after coming to power that the state cannot procure enough rice and began blaming the central government.

Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar had reportedly said a few months ago that the state has no fund for development while the chief minister's economic advisor Basavaraj Rayareddy had said the state has to find new ways to get revenue due to the financial burden caused by different guarantees, he noted.

"It is in this context the latest drama in Delhi of the Karnataka government and the Congress has to be seen," the Bengaluru South MP said, describing the protests as "purely political gimmick" as the Congress cannot fulfil promises made in haste and irresponsibly.

He asked Congress leaders to stop their "drama" and go back to the state and work for people's development.

Joined by BJP MPs Pratap Simha and S Muniswamy among others, Surya said the total tax devolution to the state during the 2004-14 rule of the Congress-led UPA was Rs 81,795 crore while it jumped by 250 per cent to Rs 2,85,452 crore during the 2014-24 BJP-led NDA government.

The grant-in aids during the corresponding periods were Rs 60,779 crore and Rs 2,08,832 crore, he said.

"Yet the chief minister prefers to lie and misguide people of the state," Surya alleged.

With the state government citing that Karnataka is among the highest contributors to the central pool but its share of revenue was not commensurate, he countered with the argument that Bengaluru is responsible for 60 per cent of the state's revenue, then why it should not receive the same share for its development.

Surya said Karnataka has been receiving the most FDI and it was also due to the policies of the Modi government.

"This argument is against principles of federalism, principles enshrined in the Constitution and, I dare say, is very anti-national," he added.

"The Congress is the original tukde-tukde party of the country. They were solely responsible for India's partition. The same party is again speaking in separatist and divisive tone yet again today. This is inherent in its dna. People of the country and the state will reject their argument," he said.

Congress leaders from Karnataka led by Siddaramaiah staged a protest at Jantar Mantar here on Wednesday against the Centre over "injustice" meted out to the state in devolution of taxes. Shivakumar, several MPs, ministers and MLAs from the state took part in the protest.

The Congress alleges that "injustice" has been meted out to Karnataka in tax devolution and grants-in-aid over the past few years.

The protesters demanded that the Centre set right the losses to the tune of Rs 1.87 lakh crore allegedly incurred by Karnataka under the 15th Finance Commission.

Surya asserted that the commission arrived at its recommendations after extensive consultations. He accused the Congress of passing off its "figment of imagination" as some proposal of the commission responsible for fixing the share of states and the Union in the central pool of revenue.

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