Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday accused the BJP leadership and the Union government of “betraying” the interests of seven crore Kannadigas by denying them their due share of funds to take up drought relief measures.
He also lashed out at Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman who was in Mysuru recently and had refuted Mr. Siddaramaiah’s claims that Karnataka was not receiving its due share of tax or that there was no equity in tax devolution.
Mr. Siddaramaiah was speaking at a public programme in which several BJP and JD(S) leaders, including former MUDA chairman H.V. Rajeev, former councillor Mallesh, and former Mayor Bhyrappa, quit their respective parties and joined the Congress.
The Chief Minister was scathing in his attack on the Finance Minister and said the Karnataka government was not seeking funds for the implementation of the guarantee schemes as it was being projected. He also challenged the BJP top leadership for a debate on the issue of equitable devolution of tax and the “injustice” to Karnataka on resource allocation. “We can have the debate either in Bengaluru or Delhi,” he said.
“We have adequate budgetary provisions for their implementation. While nearly ₹36,000 crore has been spent this year for the implementation of the five guarantee schemes, more than ₹52,000 crore had been earmarked in the State Budget for 2024-25,” said Mr. Siddaramaiah.
But what Karnataka was demanding was its share of funds that was sanctioned by the 15th Finance Commission which had allocated additional funds to the State for various works, including ₹3,000 crore for rejuvenation and reclamation of lakes in Bengaluru and ₹3,000 crore for the peripheral ring road project, said Mr. Siddaramaiah.
He said after submitting memorandums to the Union government three times seeking ₹18,170 crore for drought relief, not a single paisa had been released so far though the law mandates that funds under the NDRF should be released within a month. This, despite the fact that 224 out of 243 taluks are reeling under severe drought this year, the Chief Minister added.
Mr. Siddaramaiah said though it was not in his habit to swear in the name of God, he was prepared to do so and furnish a copy of the 2023-24 Union Budget speech read out by Ms. Sitharaman in which ₹5,300 crore was announced by her for the Upper Bhadra project. “The financial year is coming to an end and not a single paisa has been released so far,” he added.
Taking on the BJP for what he termed as the failure to implement any of its promises, Mr. Siddaramaiah said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi came to power promising to double the farmers’ income and generate two crore jobs a year. But nothing has been done on this front, he said adding that the ‘’BJP has the habit of lying and lie was their family deity”.
Reiterating his challenge to the BJP leadership for a debate, Mr. Siddaramaiah said people should know the truth. Lashing out at the BJP MPs for their “failure” to intervene on behalf of the State for drought relief, Mr. Siddaramaiah said though 25 of the 28 MPs from the State are from the BJP, they have remained silent. People should vote for those who speak for the public in Parliament and not those who are silent.
