Published Feb 06, 2024 | 7:42 PM ⚊ Updated Feb 06, 2024 | 11:30 PM
BY Vijayendra speaks after taking charge as the Karnataka BJP president on 15 November. (BYVijayendra/X)
The BJP on Tuesday, 6 January, lodged a protest with Governor Thaawar Chand Gehlot against the state government’s alleged use of public money to issue front-page advertisements in various newspapers asking people to take part in the “Chalo Delhi” march against the Union government.
Ahead of a planned showdown in Delhi led by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on 7 February at Jantar Mantar, the Congress government issued an advertisement in various newspapers asking people to march to Delhi.
The advertisement read: “To protest against the financial atrocities committed by the Central government on Kannadigas and Karnataka – Chalo Delhi”.
The state government claimed that not even a penny for drought relief was given to the state though the demand was for ₹18,177 crore. A special grant of ₹5,495 crore as recommended by the 15th Finance Commission has been announced.
The government also alleged that there was a disparity in the tax share given by the Union government to the state. It also accused the Union government of cutting grants for collaborative schemes.
“Losses to Karnataka by Union government from 2017-18 was ₹1.87 lakh crore,” the government claimed in its advertisement.
In its memorandum to Gehlot, the BJP alleged that the advertisement “incites the people of Karnataka with misleading and false information regarding devolution of funds from the Union government”.
The Opposition party in the state said that using the state funds to publish advertisements against the Union government is “the most shocking of all the illegalities and wrongs committed by the state government”.
Rallying against the Central Government's economic disparities, we call for unity in 'Chalo Delhi' tomorrow at 11 AM, Jantar Mantar. We stand against the unfair treatment in tax devolution and grants for Kannadigas. This movement is for Karnataka's rights, not against any… pic.twitter.com/LB8KnHFCQP
— Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) February 6, 2024
“The state government led by the Congress party has issued an advertisement against the union of India. This is actually a Congress advertisement inciting the people of Karnataka against the central BJP government…Why should the state government pay for it?” the memorandum asked.
It characterised the Congress’s move as “nothing but cheating the treasury” and “playing a fraud” on people by using their money for political purposes.
“Under the Constitution of India, there is a federal structure of government and it is totally unconstitutional for one state government to use its funds to incite the people, call for rallies and to assist in holding a protest against the central government. This is against the constitution and its federal structure,” the party said.
The BJP appealed to the Governor to issue necessary directions to the Commissioner of Information and Publicity to immediately stop issuing such ads.
In a post on ‘X’, BJP Karnataka president BY Vijayendra slammed the Congress government for resorting to an “unfair campaign” against the Centre under the “false pretense” of pending tax dues.
“Providing false information to divert people’s attention is also another face of treachery & fraud. @BJP4Karnataka has taken this seriously & will soon expose the duplicity of Congress government along with evidence,” he said.
Frustrated at not being able to implement the promised Gaurantees & staring at Bankruptcy due to its inept handling of state financials, Congress govt has resorted to unfair campaign against the Central govt under the false pretense of pending tax dues. Providing false… https://t.co/063DApiFIQ
— Vijayendra Yediyurappa (Modi Ka Parivar) (@BYVijayendra) February 6, 2024
Earlier in the day, BJP MPs from the state had declined the invite to join the protest against the Union government over fiscal injustice.
Siddaramaiah wrote to the members representing Karnataka in both Houses of Parliament inviting them to join the state government’s protest in Delhi against the fiscal injustice to the state by the Union government.
“It is not a fight against any party, it is a fight against injustice, discrimination in tax share and grant allocation by the Union government in the union system,” said Siddaramaiah asking MPs including Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
The invitees include Union Ministers Rajeev Chandrashekar, Pralhad Joshi, and Shobha Karandlaje. Meanwhile, Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya said that he would address a press conference to “expose the false propaganda”.
(With PTI inputs)
