Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah
Credit: PTI Photo
JD(S) supremo H D Deve Gowda, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi and all other Karnataka MPs received a personal invitation from Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to participate in a protest against the Union government in New Delhi on Wednesday.
“Rallying against the Central government’s economic disparities, we call for unity in ‘Chalo Delhi’ at 11 AM at Jantar Mantar. We stand against the unfair treatment of tax devolution and grants for Kannadigas. This movement is for Karnataka’s rights, not against any individual. Join us in this crucial protest, transcending party lines, for our collective future,” Siddaramaiah said.
Siddaramaiah said the protest is not against any party. “It is against injustice meted out to the state by the Union government under the federal structure,” he said.
HDK slams Congress
Meanwhile, JD(S) state president H D Kumaraswamy criticised the Congress for its “double standard” on the tax devolution issue.
In a post on X (previously Twitter), Kumaraswamy questioned Congress leaders over their counterparts in Kerala not supporting the government on the issue.
“Lok Sabha election is the only agenda behind the protest planned by Congress in New Delhi. If not, why did Congress legislators in Kerala refuse to extend support when the Kerala Chief Minister invited them to join in raising voices against the union government regarding injustice caused by tax devolution? They even boycotted the protest planned by Kerala chief minister in New Delhi on February 8,” he said.