BENGALURU: After Prime Minister Narendra Modi lashed out at Congress for creating a North-South divide over sharing of tax funds, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday said the former should remember his own remarks in the past during his tenure as Gujarat chief minister against the Congress-led UPA on similar issues.
The Karnataka chief minister said PM Modi owes an explanation as to how his past criticisms of the Union government did not pose a threat to the nation’s unity and security.
In a post on X, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said, “Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s remark about our ‘Chalo Delhi’ campaign, aimed at protesting the injustices suffered by Kannadigas due to the Union Government’s unfair tax allocation, being a threat to the nation’s unity and security, is surprising. I urge Prime Minister Narendra Modi to remember his own remarks opposing the UPA Government when he served as the Chief Minister of Gujarat.”
“Weren’t your statements back then also seen as potentially endangering the nation’s unity and security? I await your reply,” he added.
The Karnataka CM claimed that Prime Minister Modi, during his stint as Gujarat CM, argued before the Finance Commission that the criteria for tax allocation should be revised to provide greater incentives to states demonstrating effective financial management and developmental efforts.
“Modi asserted the necessity of reforming the current tax allocation system, which disproportionately rewards underperforming states at the expense of those excelling in fiscal management. He advocated for incentivising states that have significantly contributed to infrastructure development and national progress,” Karnataka CM posted on X.
“Numerous such U-turns in stance could be listed. PM Modi owes an explanation as to how his past criticisms of the Union Government did not pose a threat to the nation’s unity and security, while similar protests from others supposedly do,” he added.
Earlier, Prime Minister Modi on Wednesday ripped into the grand old party for allegedly working against the “interests of the nation.”
“Some are trying to divide the country over funds. What can be a bigger misfortune for the country? Such a mindset is being demonstrated by a responsible national party. It is unfortunate! Our tax, our money! What language is being used? This is dangerous for the future of the country,” PM Modi said.
Earlier, Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah and his deputy DK Shivakumar on Wednesday held a protest at Jantar Mantar in the national capital to protest against the Centre’s tax devolution policies to the southern state. (ANI)