BENGALURU, 6 FEB 

BJP's IT cell incharge Amit Malviya on Tuesday hit out at Chief Minister Siddaramaiah for raking up the North-South divide and said it was a typical characteristic of Congress leaders, who are trusted allies of the ‘Tukde Tukde’ gang. Such tactics not only undermine unity but also pose a significant risk to social harmony, he cautioned.

'Tukde Tukde' gang is a phrase used by the BJP to refer to alleged sympathisers of separatists.

Taking to the micro-blogging site 'X', Malviya said Siddaramaiah should examine the funds Bengaluru gets versus the regions like ‘Kalyana Karnataka’ and Kalaburagi. "Does he care about the unfair treatment of Bengaluru?" the BJP IT Cell Chief said.

According to Malviya, Siddaramaiah’s demand for Rs 5,495 crore special grant was a 'lie'. "The 15th FC did not recommend Special Grant to any State. There is no such recommendation to accept or reject. It is a figment of his imagination."

The Centre has not only devolved taxes but also given Rs 6,212 crore as 50-year interest-free loans to boost Karnataka’s capital expenditure as on 11 December, 2023, he said.

Malviya called Siddaramaiah’s expectation of a 15 per cent growth rate in tax revenue a 'joke and a lie', given that Covid hit State GDP for two years.

The Chief Minister ignored the life-saving mobility restrictions and used a flawed indicator of tax performance, he noted. Tax buoyancy is a better indicator to measure, which shows how tax revenue responds to GDP growth, Malviya said adding that it has soared from 0.72 before GST to 1.22 after it, proving GST’s positive effect on tax efficiency and compliance. "His (Siddaramaiah's) view is a deliberate distortion of the truth and an insult to the GST’s benefits," the BJP leader said.

Pointing out that the devolution of funds to states is based on rational criteria, laid out in Article 280, Malviya said it ensures fair distribution of resources. "Centre’s tax devolution to Karnataka has increased by 245.7%, reaching Rs 2.82 lakh crore (under Modi Govt), compared to Rs 81,795 crore under the UPA. This contradicts the false claim of financial neglect or adverse impact due to the revised tax share percentages," he charged.