Funds sanctioned to the state belong to people, not central government - Kumaraswamy

Funds sanctioned to the state belong to people, not central government - Kumaraswamy

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangalore, Oct 29, 2012: Addressing the press today, JD(S) Chief H. D. Kumaraswamy said that the Rs. 80,000 Mrs. Sonia Gandhi claims to have sanctioned for the state is not money that belongs to the central government, but taxes paid by the people of Karnataka.

Further, he said that the central government is obliged to sanction funds to each state for its welfare and development. He challenged Congress leaders to give the people of Karnataka proper accounts of the funds that rightfully belong to them. He demanded to know if the central government has given the state anything extra.

 

Speaking about the difficulties of farmers, the drought problem, and the drinking water problem plaguing the state, he said that, even in such conditions, the state government is involved in internal conflicts. The govenrment is not even willing to discuss solutions to the problems facing the state, he alleged.

Accusing both the Congress and the BJP of focusing more on their internal conflicts than on the people’s problems, he said that the state government has not written off farmers’ loans in spite of promising to do so. Instead, the government has raised VAT tax from 12% to 14%, he complained.
He promised that the JD(S) will reduce the VAT tax if the people vote it to power.

When a reporter wanted to know if the arrival of S. M. Krishna will have any adverse effect on the JD(S), Mr. Kumaraswamy said that there is a great difference between the S. M. Krishna of 1999 and the S. M. Krishna of today. He also said that the politics of old is not like the politics of new, adding that the arrival of S. M. Krishna will intensify internal conflicts within the Congress and will not affect the JD(S) in any way.

When asked if Halady Shrinivas Shetty will join the JD(S), Mr. Kumaraswamy said that he has had a telephonic conversation with Halady, but has not met him in person. Stating that Halady has requested time to think it over, he said that Halady is free to do whatever he likes. He announced that his party is busy making preparations for the upcoming elections.