Dr.Thomas (Special Correspondent)
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When Modi was the CM,he had asked for a 50% tax share for Gujarat.He is only allotting 12% to Karnataka as PM:CM Siddaramaiah holds a statistical mirror to Modi’s statements and actions.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said that Modi is a threat to the federal system.
A heated argument broke out between members of the ruling and the opposition while the CM replied to the debate on the governor’s address in the Legislative Council explaining the injustice being done by the centre to the state.
The CM mentioned that PM Modi, who was the chief minister of Gujarath,in the BJP working committee meet, had said that the UPA government,was a threat to the federal economy.
Modi,when he was CM of Gujarat had said that we are not beggars and demanded 50% of the taxes to be returned.He has also said that Gurajat would not give its taxes to the Centre.
The same Modi,who is now the PM,is allocating only 12-13 per cent of the taxes.He is saying one thing then and saying something else now. Why are you angry if I mention this? The CM asked. .
How will a State progress if we are given only Rs.12 for every Rs.100 that we give? If we are given a very small share, how can the development of the State’s Shudras, Dalits, Adivasis, labourers, youth and women happen, the CM questioned.
The State’s share of taxes from the Centre is unjust. When the size of the budget was 24,44,213 in 2018-19, we got 51000 crores, In the year 2020-21 the Union Budget size was 30,42, 243 crore and we received 31734 crore.
The centre’s budget for the year 2021-22 was 34,83,236 crore and the State got Rs.48589 crore. The centre’s budget for the year 2022-23 was 4181232 crore. The state received 53510 crore only. In the year 2023-24 the centre’s budget size is 45,03007 crore .
Only 50257 crore was received by the state, the CM revealed the unfair treatment of the centre through facts and figures.
Thus, although the budget size is large, the share to our State is diminishing.The Prime Minister, while replying to the debate on the President’s address, targeted the state’s tax protest and had said it would ‘threaten the unity of the country’.
The same prime minister had opposed the economic share of Gujarat in 2012 when he was the CM. He had said
‘Are we beggars,should we live on the mercy of the Centre’? Modi had also told, ‘don’t collect tax from Gujarat, we will use it for ourselves’.
CM Siddaramaiah asked if this was not against the constitution and union system,referring to Modi’s words at that time.
