Karnataka: Congress to make Centre’s ‘financial neglect’ amid drought a poll plank

On Monday (March 25), the Congress-led Karnataka government said it moved the Supreme Court, seeking its intervention to direct the Centre to release drought relief from the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF).

The state has been facing a severe drought since last year, with central teams having visited the state to assess the damage. But the move is part of a wider strategy of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah by which he is making an all-out effort to highlight the state's grievances before the Centre and expose the alleged neglect of Karnataka's interests by BJP Members of Parliament (MPs).

Its strategy to corner the BJP in the poll season focuses on twin issues of tax devolution disparity and withholding of central grants, which the Congress government alleges has left Karnataka reeling under a severe financial crunch. Despite boasting 25 BJP MPs from Karnataka, the state government alleges its representation has failed to secure benefits to the state.

“How can they seek to win an election again in the state? Our people are facing difficulties in drought-hit areas all over the state, and it is the duty of any MP to protect the interests of the state. The BJP MPs’ true colour has to be exposed," a minister in the Siddaramaiah cabinet, who doesn't want to be named, told The Federal.

Seeking NDRF funds for state

“After waiting for our compensation from the Centre, we approached the Supreme Court. We have exercised our legal right under Article 32 of the Constitution. We have moved the Supreme Court, demanding a direction from the Centre to immediately release NDRF funds to the state. We waited for five months for our share to be given earlier. We have approached the Supreme Court as we have no other option," CM Siddaramaiah said after the petition was filed in the top court.

The National Disaster Management Act was made with the intention to help people deal with emergencies in view of natural disasters like drought, the petition contends, but the Centre has failed to extend a single penny in relief due to the state under the law. Karnataka has declared drought in 223 taluks out of 240 taluks in the state after a four-time evaluation. Agricultural crops in 48 lakh hectares of land have been lost due to drought, even as the state government wrote thrice to the Centre, seeking assistance.

Speaking to the media, Siddaramaiah said his government had sought a relief of Rs. 18,171.44 crore from the NDRF to deal with the disastrous consequences of drought. Overall, the state required Rs 35,162.05 crore to manage the drought situation.

He alleged that the 15th Finance Commission had, in its interim report, recommended Rs. 6,764 crore be extended to three states, including Karnataka, not out of favour but to maintain previous devolution levels. The final report also allocated Rs 6,000 crore for Karnataka, but the Ministry of Finance, led by Nirmala Sitharaman, refused to accept these recommendations, denying Karnataka its rightful share. Siddaramaiah emphasised the importance of federal polity and demanded Karnataka's fair share.

Making it a poll plank

The Karnataka Congress’s top brass has asked the campaign committee to highlight the BJP-led central government’s ‘step-motherly’ treatment towards Karnataka and prioritise the poll campaign around ‘disparity’. According to sources, the campaign committee's social media cell has been asked to highlight the failures of the Modi government and the disparity in its attitude towards Karnataka.

The campaign will include hoardings, LED screens, and TV and print advertisements, highlighting the Modi government’s failure to meet Karnataka’s just needs and its step-motherly treatment toward the state. The failure of 25 BJP MPs in safeguarding the interests of Karnataka at the Centre will also be highlighted, the sources added.

As part of its poll strategy, the Congress aims to highlight the drought issue and disparity in the Centre’s treatment of Karnataka. By doing so, the party intends to project itself as the protector of Karnataka farmers’ interests and counter the opposition BJP’s claims that the state government is in a financial mess because of its guarantee schemes.

Siddaramaiah emphasised that the state government is demanding from the Centre what is rightfully due.

BJP is crying foul

Meanwhile, the state BJP leadership accused CM Siddaramaiah of politicising the issues.

R Ashok, Leader of Opposition in the Karnataka assembly, said the Congress move is politically motivated and will become a black mark in the history of Karnataka. “It seems that the chief minister felt his only job was to point out all his shortcomings to the Centre. The BJP government earlier faced natural calamities like drought and floods. But it provided relief from the state exchequer without waiting for the central government’s help. The chief minister is playing politics on drought relief," Ashok said.

“Do politics when there is an election. But after the election, keep politics aside and focus on administration and prioritize safeguarding the people's interest. The chief minister is trying to create a political narrative," the BJP leader added.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah put the spotlight on Karnataka’s financial woes owing to the Centre’s failure to allocate grants and tax devolution disparities by hitting the streets in Delhi during his “Chalo Delhi" protest on February 7. He has put the Karnataka BJP on the backfoot with his poll strategy.