‘Chalo Delhi’ protest against Centre today
Bengaluru, Karnataka - Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, on Tuesday, gave a ‘Chalo Delhi’ call to protest against the alleged lack of tax devolution and grants-in-aid to the state by the Centre in the national capital.
The demonstration is scheduled for Wednesday at the Jantar Mantar in New Delhi.
The Karnataka CM said that the Congress government in the southern state will continue to raise its voice against discrimination in the fair tax share and grant distribution of Kannadigas.
“Tomorrow at 11am at Jantar Mantar, Delhi, we will raise our voice against the discrimination in the fair tax share and grant distribution of Kannadigas. This movement is not against anyone, it is for the benefit of Karunadu and Kannadigas. We request everyone to participate in this Dharani Satyagraha regardless of party affiliation,” Siddarmaiah wrote in a post on X.
State Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar after holding a press conference on the matter at Vidhan Souda earlier on Tuesday said that the planned protest is not against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and that all MLAS should forget party lines and participate.
“The entire government will protest, all MLAS should forget party lines and participate. We all have to fight together for the good of the state. We are in a union system. We have been giving cooperation to the central government, but we continue to be treated unfairly by the centre. We didn’t get proper relief even during COVID, we didn’t get grant even during heavy rains. Rs 5300 crore was not given for the Bhadra Meldande project. This is not a protest against BJP. Instead, it is a protest against the discriminatory attitude in financial distribution and drought relief,” Shivakumar said.