New Delhi: Amid the Karnataka Congress government's protest against the Centre at Jantar Mantar in Delhi on Wednesday, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said that their main intention is to protect the interests of the state and Kannadigas. "We are staging this protest in New Delhi to make sure the central government has all the funds that it has to give to us. We expect the government will listen to our protest, and our main intention is to protect the interests of the state and Kannadigas," the Chief Minister said. #WATCH | During their protest against the central government at Delhi's Jantar Mantar, Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah says "Karnataka is number two as far as tax collection is concerned, Maharashtra is number one. As a matter of fact, this year Karnataka is contributing more than Rs… pic.twitter.com/cASQk5TP8e — ANI (@ANI) February 7, 2024 "BJP MPs, MLAs, and leaders are invited for the protest. Join us to raise our voice for the state's rights," he added. CM Siddaramaiah, along with Deputy CM DK Shivakumar, arrived at Delhi's Jantar Mantar to participate in the protest against the central government. The chief minister highlighted the statistics on the alleged injustice, treachery, and "step motherly" treatment meted out to the Karnataka State. Speaking at a press conference, Siddaramaiah said, "It is our duty to do justice for the opportunity given to us by the people of the state. We were waiting patiently for the central government to provide justice in the federal system. We were waiting for them to act as they promised in last year's budget. The state government is inviting all parties to join the protest and provide justice to Kannadigas. We are protesting to make the Union Government hear our vows." He said that the Union Government has declared to provide 5300 crores to the Upper Bhadra scheme in the last year's budget, and they have not released a single rupee so far. There is no money for drought relief, either. He said that this is not a political protest by the Congress Party against the BJP. We are organising the protest inevitably. The attention of the people of the country should be drawn. We are protesting about the stepmotherly attitude of the central government, the discrimination in financial distribution, and the stepmotherly treatment shown in drought relief.
