Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. File
Karnataka appears to be entering a fresh round of tussle with the Centre as the Congress-ruled State on July 23 declared that it will boycott the NITI Ayog meeting convened by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi on July 27, accusing the Centre of ignoring its demands in the Union Budget.
“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,” announced Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in his post on social media platform X hours after the Union Budget was presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
“Despite my earnest efforts in calling for an all-party meeting of MPs in New Delhi to discuss Karnataka’s essential needs, the Union Budget has neglected our State’s demands. Finance Minister 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,” the Chief Minister said, who earlier listed out the demands of Karnataka “ignored” by the Union Budget at an earlier press meet.
Launching a direct attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he said, “Mr. Modi is unable to see States other than Andhra Pradesh and Bihar because his eyes are set on retaining his post.”
He further said even the demand to approve Mekedatu and Mahadayi projects had been ignored, while funds for metro rail and other infrastructure projects are “still a distant dream.”
It may be noted that the Congress government in Karnataka had launched an offensive against the Centre before the Lok Sabha polls by taking up “My tax, my right” campaign against the alleged injustice meted out to it in the devolution of State’s share of central taxes and development grants. The ruling Congress legislators had staged a protest against the Centre in Delhi then. The State has also launched a legal fight against the Centre by approaching the Supreme Court against the delay in the disbursal of drought relief.
