Former Chief Minister and Leader of the Opposition Siddaramaiah on Friday hit out at the BJP governments in the State and the Centre and told Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa “do not succumb to your leader’s bullying and betray us” on payment of Goods and Service Tax (GST) funds.
“GST compensation is a matter of great concern & and it may affect cooperative federalism. Kataka should get Rs 25,508 Cr as GST compensation. Centre should take complete responsibility to raise funds & compensate”, Mr. Siddaramaiah tweeted.
After a series of disappointing episodes in meeting BJP central leaders, the “Chief Minister got an appointment to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi” in Delhi on Friday. The Congress leader said “apart from your desperate attempts to save your position, please ask few questions that concern Kannadigas @BSYBJP”.
Seeking justice to the State, the Congress leader said the State had requested ₹35,000 crore for last year’s flood relief but got just ₹869 crore. “Then there were floods this year as well & and your estimated loss is ₹8,000 Cr. Present our case effectively to demand our rightful flood relief”, the former Chief Minister said told Mr. Yediyurappa.
On reduced funding in the 15th Finance Commission recommendations, Mr. Siddaramaiah said “in the preliminary 15th FC report, Ktaka is clearly at a disadvantage for effectively controlling population growth rates. Mr @BSYBJP, ask your party head to re-evaluate the indicators & the calculations to decide both devolution of taxes & SDRF”.
“How much has Ktaka got out of Rs 20lakh Cr Covid package announced? With jobs lost, these packages are important to sustain the livelihood of many. @BSYBJP demand to implement NYAY scheme to give Rs 6,000 monthly for unemployed & poor families”.
“@PMOIndia had centralized the procurement & yet Karnataka has not received adequate number of ventilators. The impact which we are seeing every day, where people are dying without critical care. @BSYBJP demand more ventilators & help save precious lives”, Mr. Siddaramaiah tweeted.
The State legislature session would commence on Monday and the Congress is expected to focus on ‘failures’ of the government in handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and corruption in purchase of equipment, management of floods, alleged “anti-farmer” bills proposed to be tabled in the legislature, violence in K.G. Halli and D.J. Halli in Bengaluru, and ongoing investigation into the drug racket.