Karnataka govt making baseless charges against Centre as it can't fulfil unrealistic promises: BJP
New Delhi(PTI): The BJP on Wednesday lashed out at the Congress government in Karnataka over its claim that the state was not getting funds from the central pool proportionate to its contribution, saying the argument is not only against federalism but also very "anti-national".
Several Karnataka BJP MPs addressed a press conference here on the day Chief Minister Siddaramaiah led a protest against the Centre's alleged discrimination in allocation of funds to the state, with Tejasvi Surya, a Lok Sabha member, accusing him of making baseless and false allegations as his government cannot fulfil unrealistic promised made during assembly polls.
Surya said the Congress had promised 10 kg free rice to the poor before the polls but realised after coming to power that the state cannot procure enough rice and began blaming the central government.
Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar had reportedly said a few months ago that the state has no fund for development while the chief minister's economic advisor Basavaraj Rayareddy had said the state has to find new ways to get revenue due to the financial burden caused by different guarantees, he noted.
"It is in this context the latest drama in Delhi of the Karnataka government and the Congress has to be seen," the Bengaluru South MP said, describing the protests as "purely political gimmick" as the Congress cannot fulfil promises made in haste and irresponsibly.
He asked Congress leaders to stop their "drama" and go back to the state and work for people's development.
Joined by BJP MPs Pratap Simha and S Muniswamy among others, Surya said the total tax devolution to the state during the 2004-14 rule of the Congress-led UPA was Rs 81,795 crore while it jumped by 250 per cent to Rs 2,85,452 crore during the 2014-24 BJP-led NDA government.
The grant-in aids during the corresponding periods were Rs 60,779 crore and Rs 2,08,832 crore, he said.
"Yet the chief minister prefers to lie and misguide people of the state," Surya alleged.
With the state government citing that Karnataka is among the highest contributors to the central pool but its share of revenue was not commensurate, he countered with the argument that Bengaluru is responsible for 60 per cent of the state's revenue, then why it should not receive the same share for its development.
Surya said Karnataka has been receiving the most FDI and it was also due to the policies of the Modi government.
"This argument is against principles of federalism, principles enshrined in the Constitution and, I dare say, is very anti-national," he added.
"The Congress is the original tukde-tukde party of the country. They were solely responsible for India's partition. The same party is again speaking in separatist and divisive tone yet again today. This is inherent in its dna. People of the country and the state will reject their argument," he said.
Congress leaders from Karnataka led by Siddaramaiah staged a protest at Jantar Mantar here on Wednesday against the Centre over "injustice" meted out to the state in devolution of taxes. Shivakumar, several MPs, ministers and MLAs from the state took part in the protest.
The Congress alleges that "injustice" has been meted out to Karnataka in tax devolution and grants-in-aid over the past few years.
The protesters demanded that the Centre set right the losses to the tune of Rs 1.87 lakh crore allegedly incurred by Karnataka under the 15th Finance Commission.
Surya asserted that the commission arrived at its recommendations after extensive consultations. He accused the Congress of passing off its "figment of imagination" as some proposal of the commission responsible for fixing the share of states and the Union in the central pool of revenue.
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Another North Goa nightclub sealed; Kejriwal says corruption led to fire tragedy
Panaji (PTI): As part of a crackdown against tourist establishments violating laws and safety norms in the aftermath of the Arpora fire tragedy, Goa authorities on Saturday sealed a renowned club at Vagator and revoked the fire department NOC of another club.
Cafe CO2 Goa, located on a cliff overlooking the Arabian Sea at Vagator beach in North Goa, was sealed. The move came two days after Goya Club, also in Vagator, was shut down for alleged violations of rules.
Elsewhere, campaigning for local body polls, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal said the fire incident at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub at Arpora, which claimed 25 lives on December 6, happened because the BJP government in the state was corrupt.
An inspection of Cafe CO2 Goa by a state government-appointed team revealed that the establishment, with a seating capacity of 250, did not possess a no-objection certificate (NOC) of the Fire and Emergency Services Department. The club, which sits atop Ozrant Cliff, also did not have structural stability, the team found.
The Fire and Emergency Services on Saturday also revoked the NOC issued to Diaz Pool Club and Bar at Anjuna as the fire extinguishers installed in the establishment were found to be inadequate, said divisional fire officer Shripad Gawas.
A notice was issued to Nitin Wadhwa, the partner of the club, he said in the order.
Campaigning at Chimbel village near Panaji in support of his party's Zilla Panchayat election candidate, Aam Aadmi Party leader Kejriwal said the nightclub fire at Arpora happened because of the "corruption of the Pramod Sawant-led state government."
"Why this fire incident happened? I read in the newspapers that the nightclub had no occupancy certificate, no building licence, no excise licence, no construction licence or trade licence. The entire club was illegal but still it was going on," he said.
"How could it go on? Couldn't Pramod Sawant or anyone else see it? I was told that hafta (bribe) was being paid," the former Delhi chief minister said.
A person can not work without bribing officials in the coastal state, Kejriwal said, alleging that officers, MLAs and even ministers are accepting bribes.
