From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network

Kudligi (Ballari), Apr 29: Even as Prime Minister Narendra Modi is due to arrive for his final leg of campaigning in the remaining 14 Lok Sabha constituencies, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah continued his tirade against the BJP for spreading lies and electioneering by polarising voters by using religion and castes and asked the former to speak truth before the people.

Siddaramaiah, has in a statement to the media, asked Modi to desist from trying to pit people belonging to different castes and religions against each other to polarise the voters and give an honest account regarding, what he termed as the ‘gross injustice’ to Karnataka and Kannadigas during the last 10 years of his rule.

Holding a mirror to the deeds and words of Prime Minister in his speeches, the Chief Minister has asked Modi to give a true answer to his questions.

Referring to Modi’s claims that BJP-led NDA government has given much more to the State than the Congress-led UPA, Siddaramaiah reminded the Prime Minister that the Centre released a total of Rs 46,288 crore out of its annual budget size of Rs 24,42,213 crore in 2018-19 and the releases included Rs 35,895 crore as share of taxes from the State and Rs 16,082 crore towards Centrally sponsored schemes.

The Union budget size for the year 2023-24 was a whopping Rs 45,03,097 crore and the total amount given to the State was barely Rs 55,529 crore, which included share of taxes and grants under Centrally sponsored schemes.

“When the annual budget size of the Centre has doubled in the last 5 years, why the devolution of funds to the State has not been proportionally doubled or at least the total releases of Rs 1 lac crore?” he asked.

Siddaramaiah informed the Prime Minister that the total budget size during the 10 years of UPA rule was Rs 95,21,493 crore and the total expenditure was Rs 282 lac crore during the 10 years of Manmohan Singh regime.

“This means, the total expenditure was three times the total budget size under UPA regime. Thus, when NDA regime’s annual budget size sees a three-fold jump in the 10 years, why the total expenditure has not tripled?” he asked.

On the total debt burden, the Chief Minister pointed out that the total debt burden in 2014 was Rs 54 lakh crore. But, according to claims by Modi regime, the total debt burden as at the end of March 2024 was Rs 172.37 lakh crore. “Thus the total budget size tripled and the debt burden tripled. There was however no matching rise in expenditure. Is this wrong?” he asked.

Siddaramaiah ridiculed Modi on its boasts regarding construction of national highways and wanted to know why the break-up of share of the States and the Contractors as well the Centre is not revealed?

“Despite the contribution of the States in building national highways, why the collection of toll charges to be credited fully to the Centre?” he asked and pointed out that the “Centre collected Rs 64,810 crore as toll charges, which includes the contribution of Rs 3,600 crore from Karnataka alone. In such a situation, what is the Centre’s achievement?”

People of Chitradurga, Ballari, Vijayanagara, Tumakuru, Davanagere and Chikkamagaluru districts are anxiously waiting for the implementation of the Upper Bhadra Project for which Union Finance Minister has promised an allocation of Rs 5,300 crore in the 2023-24 budget when the project was declared a national project. “What happened to the money?” he asked.

The Mahadayi project has received the green signal from the Supreme Court but held up by the Centre, which would have helped the people of Hubballi-Dharwad region and Kittur Karnataka. As many as 61 projects with assured Central assistance are still languishing and 23 departments involved in the implementation of centrally-funded projects have not received even a single paisa. Even the Mekedatu project is awaiting Central clearance. Why, he asked.

The Chief Minister said the BJP promise of Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana ss well as extension of Ayushmab service to senior citizens above 70 years age were other tall promise like the promise to establish All Indian Medical Sciences (AIMS) model institute in every State. Karnataka was assured AIMS at Raichuru in 2014 but nothing has happened in the last 10 years.

Siddaramaiah lashed out Modi and BJP for promising to create 3 crore Lakpati Didis and the claim that already 1 crore lakhpati Didis have been created besides making 3 crore rural women as lakhpati didis. He wanted Modi to show a single lakpati didi created by Modi as promised.

The Chief Minister reminded Modi his own Gujarat state was the first state to voice its criticism against the unfair and unjust devolution by the Finance Commission. Gujarat contributes barely Rs 60,000 crore to the Centre in the form of tax collection and has been receiving much more. However, Karnataka is getting a pittance and is subjected to injustice.

The Chief Minister later addressed a rally in favour of the Congress candidate E Tukaram in the Ballari Lok Sabha constituency against BJP’s B Sriramulu. KPCC Chief and Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar and other ministers were present.