Karnataka CM, Dy CM and Congress leaders protest at Jantar Mantar against "injustice" meted out to the state in tax devolution

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar and other Karnataka Congress leaders during a protest against the centre, at Jantar Mantar, in New Delhi, Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2024. PTI Photo

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar and top Congress leaders from the southern state Wednesday held a protest at Jantar Mantar in Delhi against the Centre over "injustice" meted out to the state in devolution of taxes.

Several MPs, ministers and MLAs from the state took part in the protest, newswire PTI reported.

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.

Siddaramaiah said this protest is not against the BJP but the discrimination against Karnataka.

Dismissing the BJP's allegation that the protest was aimed at raking up the North-South divide, the chief minister said the Congress wants the country to be united but there should be no discrimination against the southern states.

The chief minister said the formula used to devolve taxes to the states, especially Karnataka, under the 14th Finance Commission was changed by the 15th Finance Commission and called for reverting to the old formula to stop the loss of revenue for his state.

He said they would also submit a representation to the new Finance Commission for adopting the formula used by the 14th Finance Commission.

CPI(M) veteran and Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, along with his cabinet colleagues, will stage a protest in Delhi against the Centre's alleged negligence towards the southern state on February 8.

In a countermove, the BJP in Karnataka Wednesday staged a protest in Bengaluru apparently to counter the dharna held in Delhi by the ruling party at Jantar Mantar in Delhi.

BJP legislators and leaders led by the party state president B Y Vijayendra staged a sit-in demonstration in front of Mahatma Gandhi's statue near Vidhana Soudha, which houses the State Legislature and Secretariat of Karnataka, newswire PTI reported.

Holding placards, the protestors raised slogans condemning the Congress government for allegedly failing to offer relief to drought-hit farmers and incentives to milk producers.

Former Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, Leader of Opposition in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly R Ashoka, Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council Kota Srinivas Poojary and many former ministers were among those who took part in the agitation. (With inputs from PTI)