From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network
New Delhi, Feb 7: Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar today lambasted the BJP government at the Centre for its reluctance to set right the injustice meted out to Karnataka by the 15th Finance Commission.
Addressing the protesters at Jantar Mantar to demand justice for Karnataka with respect to financial devolution, he said, “Finance Commission is an autonomous body. But what is the use of the union government if it can’t set it right.”
“Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has said the devolution of funds to Karnataka was decided by the Finance Commission and not by the Union government. It is the responsibility of the Centre to get justice to states and there is no need for such a government if it cannot set right the anomalies,” he said.
He said: “Today is a historical day for Karnataka. All the MLAs, MLCs and MPs from the State Congress are participating in the protest to support the cause of Karnataka. The people of Karnataka are working hard to pay taxes and they have the right to ask for a fair share in return. We are protesting here today to get justice for the people of Karnataka.”
'BJP has no moral right to criticise'
Shivakumar said: “The BJP is criticising us today for the protest. As firm believers of democratic principles, we welcome criticism, but I have only one question for my friends in the BJP. The people of Karnataka have elected 26 MPs from BJP but none of them has ever raised a voice for Karnataka. They never put pressure on the Centre to provide justice for the State. They did not say a word when Chief Minister Siddaramaiah took an all-party delegation to the Centre. We are only asking for our rightful share from the Centre.’’
“There is severe drought in the State. Ministers concerned have submitted a detailed report to the Centre and our chief minister called on the prime minister too. But the Centre hasn’t released even a single paise,” he said.
'Budget allocation not released'
In the previous budget, he said Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had announced budgetary allocations for various projects in Karnataka but no funds have been released yet.
Based on those budgetary allocations, the then chief minister Basavaraj Bommai had announced many projects. The Centre had announced Rs 5,300 crore for the Upper Bhadra project in the last budget but no funds have come and it is aggravating the drought situation in the State, he added.
'What has BJP done for the State?'
Speaking to reporters before the protest, Shivakumar said, “The State BJP leaders are protesting at the Gandhi Statue on M G Road. Why are they protesting and what have they done for the State? The 26 BJP MPs never raised State’s cause with the Centre but they are ironically protesting against the State government.”
He said: “We have been demanding increasing number of man days in MGNREGA from 100 days to 150 days but the Centre isn’t doing that either. The BJP even celebrated the apparent clearance for Kalasa Bhanduri project, but approvals are yet to be received even to this day. If we don’t wake up, the State will get a raw deal in the next Finance Commission too.”
Asked if protests will solve the problems, he said, “The BJP government at the Centre has turned a deaf ear to Karnataka’s problems. All our appeals have fallen on deaf ears and we are left with no other choice but to come to Delhi.’’
To a question on BJP’s allegation that the protest was a political stunt, he said, “We don’t have any directors and producers in our party, their party does.”
Pointing to BJP’s allegation that the state government has come to Delhi after spending all the money on guarantee schemes, he said, “Our finances are good, we can manage our State well. Let the Centre just give our share of finances.”
'No comments on protests by other states'
Asked about Kerala government’s protest, he said, “I won’t comment on other states. Let other states take what they want, but we are here to seek justice for Karnataka. The Centre has given GIFT city to Gujarat, why can’t it give such a project to every state? Isn’t India a federal system?”
On whether non-BJP states are getting a raw deal, he said, “I don’t want to politicise it as BJP and non-BJP states. We are just asking for justice for our state. They had 2 MPs before and now they have 300 today. We have come down from 400 MPs to 51 MPs. It will come a full circle once again. Nothing is permanent in politics.”
Meeting with PM
Replying to a query, he said, “We have sought time from the prime minister to discuss various issues pertaining to our departments, we are hopeful of getting an appointment.”
AICC President Mallikarjuna Kharge hosted a lunch at his residence for the chief minister and all others who staged a protest at Jantar Mantar.