Chalo Delhi protest: Siddaramaiah, DK Shivakumar reach Delhi; Yediyurappa calls it ‘drama’

Team Udayavani, Feb 7, 2024, 8:34 AM IST

Image source: PTI / File

Former Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa criticized the ruling Karnataka Congress government’s ‘Chalo Delhi’ protest in the national capital as “a drama”.  Yediyurappa claimed Congress had lost confidence and would lose badly in the upcoming elections.

“There is no reason to protest against this (Union) government. They (Congress) have lost confidence, and they are going to lose miserably in the next elections. That’s why they are resorting to these theatrics,” Yediyurappa said.

The state government of Karnataka, led by Siddaramaiah, will hold a demonstration in the national capital on Wednesday, accusing the Centre of unfair treatment in the allocation of taxes and funds.

Siddaramaiah’s call to participate:

Meanwhile, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday exhorted people to participate in large numbers in the protest at the national capital against the Center’s alleged discrimination against the state in tax devolution and grants-in-aid. The demonstration is scheduled for Wednesday at the Jantar Mantar.

“Let us raise our voice against the economic oppression of Karnataka by the central government. Let’s protest for our rights by participating in large numbers in Dharni Satyagraha tomorrow at Jantar Mantar, Delhi,” Siddaramaiah posted on X.

The Karnataka Chief Minister said that the Congress government in the southern state will continue to raise its voice against discrimination in the fair tax share and grant distribution of Kannadigas.

“Chalo Delhi movement to condemn the financial tyranny of the central government. Tomorrow at 11 am at Jantar Mantar, Delhi, we will raise our voice against discrimination in the fair tax share and grant distribution of Kannadigas. This movement is not against anyone, it is for the benefit of Karunadu and Kannadigas,” Siddarmaiah wrote in a post on the social media platform, X.

State Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar after holding a press conference on the matter at Vidhan Soudha on Tuesday said that the planned protest is not against the Bharatiya Janata Party and that all MLAs should forget party lines and participate.

Union Minister Pralhad Joshi rebuked Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s claim of reduced tax devolution share by the Centre, labeling it as “unfounded” and accusing Siddaramaiah of engaging in dirty politics.

Joshi in a post in X stated that Siddaramaiah’s allegations lack solid grounds and suggested that even members of his own party might find them laughable due to their unsubstantiated nature.   Pralhad Joshi on Tuesday wrote: “Karnataka CM’s accusations lack any solid grounds. They are so unfounded that their own party must be laughing at the sheer ignorance in CM’s hollow allegations, after CM Siddaramaiah has presented 13 state budgets in the past, and is expected to understand how public finances work. Nevertheless, let me remind him: States receive 100 per cent of their SGST, and approx. 50 per cent of the IGST collected within the state.”

Pralhad Joshi said that the 15th Finance Commission did not recommend a Special Grant to be made to any State.

Politically vitiated narrative: Nirmala Sitharaman 

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, rubbishing the Congress leader’s charges, termed the allegations to be a “politically vitiated narrative” that is being propagated by some vested interest groups. “Adhir ji, please understand I don’t have the right to change as per my whims and fancies, that I like a state or another state, it is against my party politics. No way, I have no role I would have to it follow rules 100 per cent, and that’s what I have done,” Sitharaman responded, as she explained the procedure of how devolution of taxes to the states is decided upon by the Finance Commission.

“Finance commission gives recommendations which I have to implement, it is done without any fear or favour or anything like that. So this apprehension that some states have been discriminated against is a politically vitiated narrative, which I am sorry to say, vested interests are happy to go about saying it. There is not just a possibility that any finance minister can intervene and say ‘I don’t like this state, stop payment’,” she added.

Devolution to the states happens in direct tax matters, as per the recommendations given by the finance commission.

Siddaramaiah, others reach Delhi

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, accompanied by Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, landed at Delhi airport late Tuesday night.

(With ANI inputs)