Parallel protests are underway in Delhi and Bengaluru by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress-led Karnataka government, respectively, over their issues with each other.
While the Karnataka Congress has is protesting at Delhi's Jantar Mantar over "injustice" by the BJP-led Centre against the state in devolution of taxes, the BJP is holding a counter-protest at Vidhana Soudha in Karnataka's Bengaluru over "misuse of funds" by the state government.
Led by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, top Congress leaders from Karnataka on Wednesday gathered for the protest at Jantar Mantar. Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, several MPs, ministers and MLAs from the state took part in the protest.
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The Congress has alleged 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.
Siddaramaiah said this protest is not against the BJP but the discrimination against Karnataka.
The BJP allegaed that the protest by the Karnataka government was aimed at raking up the North-South divide, however, state chief minister Siddaramaiah said the Congress wants the country to be united but there should be no discrimination against the southern states.
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The chief minister said the formula used to devolve taxes to the states, especially Karnataka, under the 14th Finance Commission was changed by the 15th Finance Commission and called for reverting to the old formula to stop the loss of revenue for his state.
He said they would also submit a representation to the new Finance Commission for adopting the formula used by the 14th Finance Commission.
CPI(M) veteran and Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, along with his cabinet colleagues, will stage a protest in Delhi against the Centre's alleged negligence towards the southern state on February 8.
Karnataka BJP Stages Protest In Bengaluru
The BJP in Karnataka on Wednesday staged a protest in front of Mahatma Gandhi's statue near Vidhana Soudha against the alleged failures of the Congress government, to counter the dharna held in Delhi by the ruling party.
BJP legislators and leaders led by the party state president BY Vijayendra staged a sit-in demonstration at Vidhana Soudha, which houses the State Legislature and Secretariat of Karnataka.
Holding placards, the protestors raised slogans condemning the Congress government for allegedly failing to offer relief to drought-hit farmers and incentives to milk producers.
Former Chief Minister and BJP leader Basavaraj Bommai, Leader of Opposition in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly R Ashoka, Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council Kota Srinivas Poojary and many former ministers were among those who took part in the agitation.
