On the eve of the Sankranti Festival, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah urged all Kannadigas, regardless of caste, religion, or political affiliation, to unite against the ongoing discrimination and injustice from the Centre. He emphasized the need for Karnataka to fight for its rightful share of funds.
“This inequality must be addressed: ‘Our Tax, Our Right.’ Karnataka will no longer accept this bias,” the Chief Minister declared in a statement.
“I waited for a few days, hoping Karnataka’s BJP leaders would find the courage to stand up for Kannadigas. But what have they done? Rather than advocating for our fair share, they are busy praising Modi for this betrayal! Is this what they call leadership—submitting to Delhi while Karnataka is deprived of its due?” he questioned.
Siddaramaiah condemned the NDA government’s continued betrayal of Karnataka.
“Out of Rs 1,73,030 crore allocated to states, Karnataka has received only Rs 6,310 crore—significantly less than previous installments. This injustice undermines the efforts of every hardworking Kannadiga,” he said.
Although Karnataka constitutes just 5% of India’s population, it contributes 8.4% to the national GDP.
‘Karnataka gets mere 13 paise for a rupee’
“We rank second in GST collection and lead the nation in GST growth with a remarkable 17% increase. The national budget has doubled, but Karnataka’s share remains stagnant. From Rs 46,288 crore in 2018-19 to just Rs 44,485 crore in 2024-25, even with an additional Rs 15,299 crore in grants,” he added.
Karnataka, contributing heavily, deserves at least Rs 1 lakh crore annually but is still denied its fair share.
‘Where are the state’s BJP leaders?’
“Karnataka contributes Rs 4.5 lakh crore annually to the national exchequer, yet only receives Rs 45,000 crore in tax share and Rs 15,000 crore in grants—just 13 paise for every rupee we contribute,” he said.
Meanwhile, states like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan—struggling with corruption—receive substantial funds.
Is Karnataka being penalized for its excellent governance, GST growth, and development? the Chief Minister asked.
The 15th Finance Commission reduced Karnataka’s tax share, costing it Rs 79,770 crore over five years. Even the special grant of Rs 5,495 crore to compensate for these losses was denied by the Modi government.
“Where are Karnataka’s BJP leaders? Silent as ever. Why are they not demanding our rightful share? Are they representing Kannadigas or just puppets of Delhi?” he questioned.
As the nation celebrates Sankranti, Karnataka continues to be sidelined, the Chief Minister noted, pointing out that the state’s taxes fund BJP leaders in other states, while its people face hardships like floods and droughts.
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