HAVERI: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said on Monday that there is “injustice” happening to the state regarding the distribution of funding from the centre to the states, claiming that the government receives much less than they give in the form of taxes and that none of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders have raised any objection to that.
He also lashed out at the BJP for “doing politics” in the Waqf land issue, and that he is ready to provide proof of the notices given to farmers during the tenure of former CM B S Yeddiyurappa.
On the issue of tax distribution he said, “Injustice is happening for Karnataka did Prahlad Joshi raised voice against this? Did Bommai raise the voice? Did Shetter speak about injustice to Karnataka? How can it be treated as politics if we say injustice has done to Karnataka? Getting back 60 thousand crores after giving 4.5 lakh crore, is that not injustice?”
He further said that the issue was also raised when the 16th finance commission visited Bangalore, saying, “The 16th finance commission was formed and they came to Bangalore. We explained how much injustice happened to our Karnataka in the 15th finance commission. More than 4.5 lakh crore rupees are being paid as tax from Karnataka annually. We are getting 55 to 60 thousand crores in return is it the correct thing?”.
On the Waqf land issue, he in turned asked why the previous governments had not withdrawn the notices to farmers, “They are doing politics in the Waqf issue even after we withdraw notices. No farmers will be vacated, as soon as we came to know we withdrew notice. But why have they (BJP) given notice in 216 cases? I am ready to give information on notices on the cases during the tenure of B S Yeddyurappa.”He further talked about the guarantees of the government, questioning if “guarantees are not development?”
“Earlier when I was CM I assured 165 programmes in the manifesto out of then 158 fulfilled are they won’t come under development? Out of 3 lac 71 crore 52 thousand crores are being used for guarantees, approximately 60 thousand crores are being utilised for development under irrigation, PWD and others, all these things are not development?” he asked. (ANI)