'Kannadigas are not begging': Nirmala Sitharaman vs Siddaramaiah tussle over state share escalates

The Centre versus Karnataka tussle over state share escalated with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah attacking Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman for defending government's funds devolution, saying she did not understand the concept of rightful share of the states.

Sitharaman on Sunday had said that the claims of the Karnataka government that it has not received its due share of funds was “utterly baseless” and was not part of the final recommendations of the Finance Commission. 

Taking to social media platform X, the CM said: "One expects the country’s Finance Minister to speak the truth. Unfortunately, she has been consistently denying the written word".

Sitharaman said every penny the Centre owed Karnataka had been paid in full and on time.

Karnataka has dragged the Centre to the Supreme Court over a "five-month delay” in the release of drought relief, saying the 15th Finance Commission's final report had recommended Rs 6,000 crore for Karnataka, Rs 3000 crore for revival of water bodies and Rs 3000 crore for the Peripheral Ring Road for Bengaluru. 

"The Ministry of Finance under the leadership of Mrs Nirmala Sitaraman refused to accept these two recommendations thus denying the rightful share for Karnataka," he said.

"Since you don’t seem to have any faith in or commitment to the federal polity enshrined in our Constitution, you don’t seem to understand the concept of rightful share of the states. Kannadigas demand their share. They are not begging".