NEW DELHI, Feb 7: Top Congress leaders from Karnataka led by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah staged a protest at Jantar Mantar here on Wednesday against the Centre over “injustice” meted out to the state in devolution of taxes.
Deputy chief minister D K 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.
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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.
“We are raising the issue of discrimination meted out by the government of India to the state of Karnataka and other southern states,” Siddaramaiah said while addressing the protesters.
“This is why I had written a letter to all the MPs of the BJP and the JD(S) asking them to participate in this agitation,” he said.
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.
Shivakumar said Karnataka ranks second in Goods and Services Tax (GST) collection and is the biggest contributor to the country’s revenue.
“We are asking for our rights, we are asking for our share. The Karnataka government had sought drought relief funds from the Centre but not even a single rupee was given,” he said.
“We are the voice of Karnataka. We demand justice,” Shivakumar said.
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. (PTI)
