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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Lakhimpur Kheri violence case: SC expresses disappointment over non-production of witnesses in trial
New Delhi (PTI): The Supreme Court on Friday expressed disappointment over the non-production of witnesses in the ongoing trial against Ashish Mishra, son of former Union minister Ajay Mishra, and others in the 2021 Lakhimpur Kheri violence case.
A bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi said the status report filed before it by the Uttar Pradesh government has not assigned any reason whatsoever for the non-production of witnesses.
It noted that no witnesses have been examined in the trial for the last two months.
"We direct the presiding judge to take lawful measures to secure the presence of witnesses," the bench said.
It asked the trial judge to make an endeavour to conclude the trial in a time-bound manner, and also to file a status report before it.
The trials in two cases related to the incident are going on before a court in Uttar Pradesh.
The bench noted that in the first case, out of 131 witnesses to be examined, 44 have been examined, 15 have been discharged and 72 are still to be produced.
In the second FIR, out of 35 witnesses, 26 have been examined and nine were left, it said.
Senior advocate Siddharth Dave, appearing for Ashish Mishra, said that as per the latest status report filed by Uttar Pradesh, 44 witnesses have been examined so far in the first FIR.
"No witnesses have been examined in the last two months," Dave said.
He argued that the last status report filed by the state in March also said that 44 witnesses had been examined.
"What have you done from March till today?" the bench asked the counsel appearing for Uttar Pradesh.
The state's counsel said that 3-4 witnesses were summoned for the recording of their deposition during the trial.
The bench said at least 7-8 witnesses should be summoned instead of three or four for a day, so that even if some of them do not turn up, the trial court could proceed with the recording of statements of those appearing before it.
The top court also wondered how official witnesses can remain absent during the trial.
"We are disappointed to note that the so-called status report does not assign any reason whatsoever for non-production of witnesses...," the bench said.
Advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing for the relatives of the farmers who were allegedly mowed down in the incident, said the apex court will have to do something regarding the manner in which the trial was going on.
The bench noted that besides the two FIRs, another FIR was registered in October last year concerning alleged witness intimidation.
It said that, as per the state's status report, the chargesheet was filed against the main accused in that case.
The bench noted that the status report reveals that, as far as Ashish Mishra is concerned, his alleged role in the third case is still being investigated.
The top court directed the investigating officer of the third case to conclude the pending probe and ensure that the appropriate report is filed before the concerned court within four weeks.
The bench posted the next hearing in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence case for July.
On October 3, 2021, eight people, including four farmers, were killed in Tikunia in Lakhimpur Kheri district during a protest by farmers against Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya's visit to the area.
Four farmers were mowed down by a sports utility vehicle. A driver and two BJP workers were then allegedly lynched by angry farmers. A journalist also died in the violence.
In one of the cases, the trial court in December 2023 framed charges against Mishra and 12 others for alleged murder, criminal conspiracy and under other penal laws in the case of the farmers' deaths, paving the way for the trial.
