‘Don’t feel Kannadigas were heard’: CM Siddaramaiah on Union Budget 2024

Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], July 23 (ANI): Expressing his dissatisfaction with the Union Budget 2024, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday said that we don't feel Kannadigas were heard, and hence there is no point in attending the NITI Aayog meeting.
Taking to his social media X he wrote, "Despite my earnest efforts in calling for an all-party MPs meeting in New Delhi to discuss Karnataka's essential needs, the Union Budget has neglected our state's demands."
"Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, who also attended the meeting, has ignored the concerns of the people of Karnataka. We don't feel Kannadigas are heard, and hence there is no point in attending the NITI Aayog meeting," added the Karnataka Chief Minister.
"We have decided to boycott the NITI Aayog meeting, which will be chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 27 July, as a mark of protest," he added.
Siddaramaiah further said, "Even our farmers' demands to approve Mekedatu and Mahadayi have been ignored. There was no attempt to rectify their sin of reducing funds to our state under various categories. Funds for metro and other infra projects are still a distant dream."
"Narendra Modi is unable to see states other than Andhra Pradesh and Bihar because his eyes are on the position of Prime Minister. His agenda is exposed in front of the people. We hope the people of our state stand with us in our fight for justice," Karnataka CM further said in his tweet.
Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar also expressed disappointment with the Union Budget 2024, saying that no states ruled by opposition parties received any benefits, including Karnataka. He said that he did not expect this from Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
"No states ruled by the INDIA alliance or opposition parties, including Karnataka, received anything. It is unfortunate, and I never expected this from FM Nirmala Sitharaman. Karnataka is generating a lot of employment, and I thought PM Narendra Modi and the Finance Minister would help Bengaluru with its infrastructure and various other developments. Instead, they have only supported Andhra Pradesh and Bihar to save their government. They are only helping NDA-ruled states," DK Shivakumar said. (ANI)