Siddaramaiah raking up North-South divide is a typical characteristic of Cong leaders: Amit Malviya
Bengaluru, Feb 6: BJP's IT cell in charge Amit Malviya on Tuesday hit out at Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah for raking up the North-South divide and said it was a typical characteristic of Congress leaders, who are trusted allies of the 'Tukde Tukde' gang.
His statements come ahead of the state Congress unit's protest in New Delhi under the leadership of Siddaramaiah against the Centre's alleged injustice to Karnataka by the union government when it comes to tax devolution and grants-in-aid.
Taking to the micro-blogging site 'X', Malviya said Siddaramaiah should examine the funds Bengaluru gets versus the regions like Kalyana Karnataka' and Kalaburagi.
"Does he care about the unfair treatment of Bengaluru? This approach (raking up North-South divide) to politics is deplorable and is a typical characteristic of Congress leaders, who are trusted allies of the Tukde Tukde' gang," the BJP IT Cell Chief said.
'Tukde Tukde' gang is a phrase used by the BJP to refer to alleged sympathisers of separatists.
Such tactics not only undermine unity but also pose significant risk to social harmony, he cautioned.
According to Malviya, Siddaramaiah's demand for Rs 5,495 crore special grant was a 'lie'. "The 15th FC did not recommend Special Grant to any State. There is no such recommendation to accept or reject. It is a figment of his imagination."
The Centre has not only devolved taxes, but also given Rs 6,212 crore as 50-year interest-free loans to boost Karnataka's capital expenditure as on December 11, 2023, he explained.
Malviya further called Siddaramaiah's expectation of 15 per cent growth rate in tax revenue a 'joke and a lie', given that Covid hit state GDP for two years.
The Karnataka CM ignored the life-saving mobility restrictions and uses a flawed indicator of tax performance, he noted.
Tax buoyancy is a better indicator to measure, which shows how tax revenue responds to GDP growth, Malviya said adding that it has soared from 0.72 before GST to 1.22 after it, proving GST's positive effect on tax efficiency and compliance.
"His (Siddaramaiah's) view is a deliberate distortion of the truth and an insult to the GST's benefits," the BJP leader said.
Pointing out that the devolution of funds to states is based on rational criteria, laid out in Article 280, Malviya said it ensures fair distribution of resources.
"Centre's tax devolution to Karnataka has increased by 245.7%, reaching ?2.82 lakh crore (under Modi Govt), compared to ?81,795 crore under the UPA. This contradicts the false claim of financial neglect or adverse impact due to the revised tax share percentages," he charged.
The Centre's Grants in Aid to Karnataka have also surged by 243 per cent, with Rs 2.08 lakh crore already released, compared to Rs 60,779 crore under the UPA.
The projected grants-in-aid by the end of Modi Govt's term totals up to Rs 2.26 lakh crore, he added.
Alleging injustice to Karnataka by the central government with reduction in tax devolution, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had on Sunday said this has resulted in a loss of over Rs 45,000 crore to the state in the last four years.
He also claimed that the taxes paid by Kannadigas were not useful for the state's difficult times, and the money was going to northern states.
Siddaramaiah’s expectation of 15% growth rate in tax revenue is a joke and a lie, given that Covid hit state GDP for two years. He ignores the life-saving mobility restrictions and uses a flawed indicator of tax performance. Tax buoyancy is a better indicator to measure, which… https://t.co/X8co18MwaH
— Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) February 5, 2024
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Iran foreign minister Araghchi meets Pakistan Army chief Munir
Islamabad (PTI): Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Saturday met Pakistan Army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir here, as Islamabad continued its efforts to facilitate engagement between the US and Iran.
The meeting, according to a short video posted by the Iranian embassy on social media, was also attended by Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei, and Iran's ambassador Reza Amiri Moghadam.
Araghchi calls on Munir, the embassy said in the video caption.
It did not provide further details about the discussions.
Araghchi arrived here late Friday for engagements with the Pakistani leadership. He was received by senior officials, including Munir, foreign minister Ishaq Dar and interior minister Mohsin Naqvi.
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However, there is no clarity on whether direct talks between Washington and Tehran will take place during the visit.
"No meeting is planned to take place between Iran and the US. Iran's observations would be conveyed to Pakistan," Baqaei said in a social media post on Saturday.
Araghchi, before leaving for Islamabad, said that he was embarking on a timely tour of Islamabad, Muscat, and Moscow, and the purpose of his visits is to "closely coordinate with our partners on bilateral matters and consult on regional developments".
"Our neighbours are our priority," he said.
As the Iranian team landed in Islamabad, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said that US Special Envoy on the Middle East Steve Witkoff and President Donald Trump's adviser Jared Kushner would be leaving for Pakistan on Saturday "to engage in direct talks" with representatives of the Iranian delegation.
However, the US team has not yet arrived.
Meanwhile, Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Dar, in a social media post, expressed hope for "meaningful engagements" between the two warring parties to promote regional peace and stability.
The first round of US-Iran talks held on April 11 and 12 failed to produce a breakthrough, prompting a flurry of diplomatic efforts by host Pakistan to cool tensions and revive hopes for another round of dialogue.
On Tuesday, Trump extended the two-week ceasefire with Iran indefinitely to give Tehran more time to prepare a unified proposal to end the war, just hours before the truce was set to expire.
The Iran war began on February 28 with US-Israeli strikes.
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