Bengaluru: Karnataka Bharatiya Janata Party workers bought their cattle along at a protest against the Chief Minister Siddaramaiah-led Congress government in the state for not providing subsidies on milk production.
The BJP workers staged the protest at the Freedom Park in Bengaluru and raised slogans alleging that the state government had not released dues to the subsidy of milk producers.
Protestors alleged that the Congress government was withholding Rs 716 crore in dues and due to it the milk production in the state had come down.
Meanwhile, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah gave a 'Chalo Delhi' call to protest against the alleged lack of tax devolution and grants-in-aid to the state by the Centre.
The demonstration is scheduled for Wednesday at the Jantar Mantar in the national capital.
The Karnataka Chief Minister said that the Congress government in the southern state will continue to raise its voice against discrimination in the fair tax share and grant distribution of Kannadigas.
"Chalo Delhi movement to condemn the financial tyranny of the central government. Tomorrow at 11 am at Jantar Mantar, Delhi, we will raise our voice against discrimination in the fair tax share and grant distribution of Kannadigas. This movement is not against anyone, it is for the benefit of Karunadu and Kannadigas. We request everyone to participate in this Dharani Satyagraha regardless of party affiliation," Siddarmaiah wrote in a post on the social media platform, X.
State Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar said that the planned protest is not against the Bharatiya Janata Party and that all MLAs should forget party lines and participate.
However, former Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said on Monday that to cover up its mistakes, the Karnataka government is holding a protest in New Delhi against the Central Government which is nothing but a political stunt.
Bommai said, "The anti-farmer government was ruling the state and not a single paise had been released for development works. The CM has said that the state had received less grants in the 15th Finance Commission than in the previous 14th Finance Commission. The Siddaramaiah-led government was in power when the 15th Commission Committee visited Karnataka but the committee was not apprised about the real financial condition of the state."
—AN