Injustice to southern states may compel demand for separate nation: Congress MP D K Suresh
New Delhi/Bengaluru, Feb 1: Claiming taxes collected from the south were being distributed to north India and that the former were not getting their due share, Congress MP DK Suresh on Thursday said the southern states will be forced to demand for a separate nation if the 'injustice' was not rectified.
His brother and Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar said Suresh only spoke about the public perception, even as the BJP lashed out at the Lok Sabha member.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said "separate nationhood to south India cannot be asked for. The sovereignty should prevail."
However, he said "injustice" was happening vis-a-vis tax devolution.
Suresh, who represents the Bangalore Rural seat, claimed the taxes collected from southern states were being distributed to North India. Further, Hindi was being 'imposed' on South India in every aspect.
Responding to the Union Budget tabled by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Suresh told reporters in New Delhi that it will be enough if the Centre gave Karnataka its share of money.
"Our demand is that we must get our share of GST, Customs from our state and direct taxes. We have been witnessing a lot of injustice to South India...we are seeing our share of money being distributed in North India."
He alleged injustice has been meted out to South India in all aspects.
"If we do not condemn it today, then in the coming days a necessity will arise to put forth a proposal for a separate nation (for the south)" Suresh said.
Elaborating, he said if one looks at the present financial condition then he can see the money from southern states going to the north.
"The Centre is collecting taxes to the tune of more than Rs 4 lakh crore from Karnataka but how much we are getting in return? We must question this. Since the 16th Finance Commission is going to start, if these (the anomalies) are not rectified then the southern states will have to raise their voice," Suresh added.
Alleging that Hindi was being imposed on South India in every aspect, he said the ordinance mandating 60 per cent use of Kannada in signboards of businesses and establishments was 'rejected' by Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot.
When pointed out at the Raj Bhavan's clarification that the Governor has not rejected but returned the ordinance asking the government to table it in the assembly, Suresh said "where is the respect to Kannadigas if all the Governors start expressing this way."
Responding to Suresh's comments deputy CM Shivakumar said his brother spoke only about the public perception.
"I belong to Akhand Bharat. India is one. He (Suresh) has only expressed people's view. People are thinking that they are being ignored. He has only spoken about the injustice happening to people," the DCM said.
He added that he wanted India to remain united "as everyone is the child of Mother Land".
"From Kashmir to Kanyakumari, India is one nation. There should not be injustice anywhere. Our remotest village should get encouragement similar to the Hindi belt," Shivakumar added.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said one can make demands and put pressure on the Centre because India is a federal state.
"We have agreed to federalism. Further, the state governments give taxes. Centre does not have its area to extract taxes. The tax money that goes from here is distributed to us by the Finance Commission. Now injustice has happened to us in tax distribution. Devolution of taxes is not happening properly. There was 1.07 per cent decrease in devolution of taxes from 14th finance commission to 15th finance commission. It happened during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's tenure," he said.
"We (Karnataka) are No.2 in the country in tax collection after Maharashtra. Yet, injustice is happening to us," he said.
Opposition BJP condemned Suresh's statement saying this was "Bharat Todo movement".
The party's state president B Y Vijayendra strongly condemned Suresh' statement. "People in responsible position should weigh well before speaking."
BJP MLC N Ravi Kumar told reporters that "when (Congress leader) Rahul Gandhi is taking out Bharat Jodo Yatra (Unity March), his MP is talking about Bharat Todo (break India)".
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UP Police use tear gas to disperse crowd throwing stones during Sambhal mosque survey
Sambhal (UP) (PTI): Police used tear gas and "minor force" in the face of stone pelting by locals here on Sunday as tension escalated during a second survey of the Mughal-era mosque, claimed to be originally the site of an ancient Hindu temple.
Tension has been seething in Sambhal over the past few days after the Jama Masjid was surveyed last Tuesday on the orders of a local court following a petition that claimed that a Harihar temple stood at the site.
According to the local administration, a second survey by an "Advocate Commissioner" as part of a court-ordered examination into the disputed site began around 7 am and a crowd began gathering at the spot.
"Some miscreants came out of the crowd gathered near the site and pelted stones at the police team. The police used minor force and tear gas to bring the situation under control," Superintendent of Police Krishna Kumar Vishnoi said.
He said those who engaged in stone pelting and those who incited them will be identified and action taken against them.
District Magistrate Rajendra Pesia said, "Some miscreants resorted to stone pelting but the situation is peaceful now and the survey is underway."
Videos of youths throwing stones at police, purportedly near the site of the survey in Sambhal have surfaced on the Internet.
Supreme Court lawyer Vishnu Shankar Jain, who is also the petitioner in the case, had said the Court of Civil Judge (Senior Division) ordered the constitution of an "Advocate Commission" to survey the mosque.
The court has said that a report should be filed after conducting a videography and photography survey through the commission, he had said.
The Central and Uttar Pradesh governments, the mosque committee and the district magistrate of Sambhal have been made parties in the petition concerning the mosque, Jain said last Tuesday.
Vishnu Shankar Jain and his father Hari Shankar Jain have represented the Hindu side in many cases related to places of worship, including the Gyanvapi Mosque-Kashi Vishwanath temple dispute.
Gopal Sharma, a local lawyer for the Hindu side, told PTI on Friday that in his petition filed in the court, he mentioned that "Baburnama" and the "Ain-e-Akbari" has confirmed that a Harihar temple was at the site where the Jama Masjid now stands.
He also claimed that the temple was demolished by Mughal Emperor Babur in 1529.
Samajwadi Party (SP) MP Zia Ur Rehman Barq had objected to the developments.
"The Jama Masjid of Sambhal is historical and very old. The Supreme Court had given the order in 1991 that whatever religious places are there in whatever condition since 1947, they will remain at their places," he had said.
The next date for hearing in this case is January 29.
VIDEO | Uttar Pradesh: Stones and slippers pelted in Sambhal when a survey team reached Shahi Jama Masjid to conduct a survey of the mosque.
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) November 24, 2024
(Full video available on PTI Videos - https://t.co/n147TvrpG7)#SambhalJamaMasjid pic.twitter.com/K4QGGpzlMK
