Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah gives Chalo Delhi call to demonstrate against ‘financial tyranny’ of Centre

Chief Minister of Karnataka Siddaramaiah called for a “Chalo Delhi” demonstration on Wednesday in the nation’s capital to express disapproval of the Centre’s purported lack of tax devolution and grants-in-aid to the state. Wednesday is the planned day of the demonstration at New Delhi’s Jantar Mantar. According to the Chief Minister of Karnataka, the Congress administration in the southern state will keep speaking out against discrimination in the equitable distribution of grants and tax shares for Kannadigas.

“Chalo Delhi movement to condemn the financial tyranny of the central government. Tomorrow at 11 am at Jantar Mantar, Delhi, we will raise our voice against the discrimination in the fair tax share and grant distribution of Kannadigas. This movement is not against anyone, it is for the benefit of Karunadu and Kannadigas. We request everyone to participate in this Dharani Satyagraha regardless of party affiliation,” Siddarmaiah wrote in a post on social media platform, X.

After addressing the media at Vidhan Souda earlier today, State Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar stated that all MLAs should participate in the planned protest and that it is not directed against the Bharatiya Janata Party.

“The entire government will protest, all MLAs should forget party lines and participate. We all have to fight together for the good of the state. We are in a union system. We have been giving cooperation to the central government, but we continue to be treated unfairly by the centre. We didn’t get proper relief even during covid, we didn’t get grant even during heavy rains. Rs 5300 crore was not given for the Bhadra Meldande project. This is not a protest against BJP. Instead, it is a protest against the discriminatory attitude in financial distribution and drought relief” DK Shivakumar said.

The leader of the Congress in the Lok Sabha, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, stated earlier on Monday that the belief is widespread throughout the country that the non-BJP states are not receiving their just compensation. Karnataka under Congress rule is the most recent example, he claimed. Dismissing the Congress leader’s accusations, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman called the claims a “politically vitiated narrative” being pushed by certain special interest groups.