Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday rejected the Congress party's claim that the Centre was not releasing Karnataka's share of funds. She said that this thing that certain states were being discriminated against was a "politically vitiated narrative".
During the Question Hour in Lok Sabha, Congress Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury asked Sitharaman the reason behind the "indiscriminate and arbitrary attitude" of the Centre towards Karnataka.
"I would like to know whether the state government of Karnataka has been deprived of obtaining their legitimate due because a few months ago, this situation was not there. Everything was hunky-dory, but after the installation of a new government...trouble started. What is the reason behind this," Chowdhury asked.
WATCH: Exclusive: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's Big Interview After Budget 2024 The Finance Minister rejected the charge, calling it a "politically vitiated narrative". "If you are suddenly spending at times your state's budget can't sustain, don't blame me," she said in an apparent reference to the Congress party's five guarantees given to the people of Karnataka ahead of the assembly elections.
Sitharaman said that no Union Finance Minister can play with the Finance Commission's recommendations. "This is just not a possibility that any finance minister can intervene to say that 'I don't like this state, stop payment'. No way. It can't happen that way. The system is well-placed," she said.
In June last year, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said that a total of Rs 59,000-Rs 60,000 crore was required annually for the implementation of Congress' five poll 'guarantees'. Later, his deputy DK Shivakumar reportedly said that no developmental work could be taken as funds had to be set aside to fulfil the poll promises.
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However, reacting to Sitharaman's remarks, Siddaramaiah today said this had nothing to do with five guarantees. "When the interim report was submitted to the finance minister, there were no guarantees. Who rejected the special grant of Rs 11,000 recommended by the Finance Commission? She promised Rs 5,300 crore for the Upper Bhadra Project in her last Budget. Where is it?" he queried.
In the past, the Congress government in Karnataka has also accused the BJP-led Centre of discriminating against the state over the release of funds.
Accusing the Centre of delaying drought relief to farmers, Siddaramaiah announced in December 2023 that it would pay the first instalment of crop loss compensation. He had alleged that although the state's Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda had spoken to Sitharaman about the release of compensation, there was no response from the Centre.
Sitharaman had countered Siddaramaiah's allegations, saying that nothing was pending with the Centre for Karnataka.