Will hit the streets of Karnataka if Centre does not address our concerns: DK Shivakumar
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Congress government's protest in Delhi alleging "injustice" to the State by the Centre in tax devolution and grants-in-aid, was not a show of strength, but the voice of the people of the State, Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar said on Wednesday.
Shivakumar, who is also the state Congress president, said that his party will fight it out, and will take the issue to the streets of Karnataka, if things continue in the same way, and the central government doesn't address the concerns.
Congress legislators and MPs from Karnataka, including Ministers from Siddaramaiah-led government, on Wednesday staged a protest at Jantar Mantar in Delhi, demanding that the union government set right the losses allegedly incurred by the State to the tune of Rs 1,87,000 crore, during five years under the 15th finance commission.
"It is not a show of strength. You see, the people of Karnataka don't want to show our strength. It is the voice of Karnataka, where injustice has been done. 7 crore people, they are giving tax every day, we are getting only 13 per cent, we want our share," Shivakumar said to a question whether the protest was a show of strength.
Speaking to PTI Videos in the national capital, he said: "not only in GST, in every thing the state's share is not upto the right."
On several projects that were announced nationally including Upper Bhadra allegedly not getting funds from the Centre, Shivakumar said Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, who is also a Rajya Sabha from the state, has to answer to this.
"Nothing (is given)...the Finance Commission had said that Rs 6,000 crore has to be given (for the development of water bodies and peripheral ring road in Bengaluru), that also has not been given, what was Nirmala Sitharaman doing?" he asked.
Asked about the Finance Minister's statement in Parliament about Karnataka government spending money on guarantees and are now left with no funds to run the administration, he said, "guarantees and this issue is different, let them (Centre) give our money, we will do whatever we want as per the wishes of the people of Karnataka."
When questioned as to what will be the next course of action if things continue the same way, Shivakumar said, "we will fight it out, we will take it to the streets of Karnataka."
"Let them (BJP) say whatever they want, we want to fight for justice, we want our share, we want people of Karnataka's stomachs to be filled," he said, rejecting BJP's allegations that the protest was a political ploy by Congress, with Parliament elections round the corner.
On whether Karnataka Congress was trying to set a new narrative against the BJP, the DCM said, "it is the fact....we are trying to inform the people, we want to educate the people, and get them justice."
Responding to a question on "separate nation" remarks by his brother and Congress MP from Bangalore Rural D K Suresh, which had led to a "controversy", Shivakumar said, "there is no controversy, it is a fact. He said that people are thinking we are being sidelined, that's all."
Suresh last week claimed that taxes collected from the south were being distributed to north India and that the former were not getting their due share, and that the southern states will be compelled to demand for a separate nation if the injustice' was not rectified.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Take immediate action and arrest Gautam Adani: Congress chief Kharge to Modi govt
Bengaluru (PTI): Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Friday urged the Centre to immediately take action against billionaire industrialist Gautam Adani, following his indictment in the US in a bribery case.
Accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government of shielding Adani, he said the Congress will raise the issue during the upcoming Parliament session and demand an inquiry into the charges.
"We will raise the issue in the Parliament and we will demand an inquiry. As he (Adani) is in India, action should be taken against him, he should be arrested. The government knows everything, so they should quickly take action against him in corruption cases," Kharge told reporters here.
Adani has been charged by US prosecutors for allegedly being part of an elaborate scheme to pay USD 265 million (about Rs 2,200 crore) bribe to Indian officials in exchange for favourable terms for solar power contracts.
Adani, India's second-richest man, and seven others, including his nephew Sagar, have been charged by the US Department of Justice with paying bribes to unidentified officials of state governments in Andhra Pradesh and Odisha to buy expensive solar power, potentially earning more than USD 2 billion in profit over 20 years.
Adani group has denied all charges and termed them as "baseless".
Noting that for five to six years, the Congress has repeatedly raised the issue, he said, "They (Adani and company) are involved in corruption cases. But Modi does not even utter anything against him."
"Home Minister Amit Shah has ED, CBI with him. Despite having all these agencies, why is no inquiry being done? Last time when we raised the issue following the Hindenburg report they were dismissive about it, saying it is foreign thing, it is false."
The Congress has been saying things against Adani, and will continue to say what it has to, the party chief said. "But from abroad too corruption allegations are coming, they (US) are clearly saying it. If the allegations are false, file a defamation case against them. You may accuse us (Congress) of making allegations politically, but everybody is saying it -- Hindenburg, America..."
Further, he said his party's concern is that India's assets are being "given" to Adani. Airports, ports, public sectors, land, energy sectors are being given to him (to operate).
"If he (Adani) does things in a legal manner, we have no objection. Government land is being taken, based on those assets loans worth thousands of crores are being taken from government banks. As he is doing all these things, we feel that the government is fully protecting and helping him, and through him they (BJP) are obtaining help or benefits for their party," he said.
In what seems to be comments directed at PM Modi, Kharge said, "Claiming to be just and clean in speeches is not enough, your conduct should also be clean..."
"Several investments are being taken to his state (Gujarat), instead of others. This will not lead to all India development or progress from Kanyakumari to Kashmir," the Congress veteran said, adding that "Making one person rich (hinting at Adani) will make small industries suffer. Other industrialists are also there. If you favour a person close to you so much, where will you encourage other industrialists?"
Kharge said going by the way things are being done "it seems they want to become quick crorepatis or billionaires, and want to be known among the richest in the world by creating fake records of assets."
"So, he (Adani) is doing it, and he is being encouraged by Modi and Shah," he alleged.
