Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah takes exception to Modi’s statement on funds' release

He seeks to know whether no tax was collected from the States

Karnataka Chief Minster Siddaramaiah addresses the media at the Hubbali airport, in Karantaka on Monday.

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has taken serious exception to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s statement on Sunday at a rally in Vadodara that not a penny would be released to those opposing ''vikas'' (development). He said the Prime Minister should not issue such statement.

Mr. Siddaramaiah also sought to know whether no tax was collected from the States.

The Chief Minister was speaking to journalists at the Hubballi Airport. He was on his way to Dharwad to participate in the Belagavi division level ‘Mahiti Utsav,’

Mr. Siddaramaiah asserted that there was no scam in his government. ''The former Chief Minister, B.S. Yeddyurappa, has the habit of making baseless allegations and I will not react to the coal scam allegations. Already my Cabinet colleague D.K. Shivakumar and Congress working president Dinesh Gundurao had reacted to the allegations,'' he said.

Criticism of ‘Mahiti Utsav’

On the criticism by the Opposition parties, particularly the BJP, of the ‘Mahiti Utsav’ being organised by the government across the State, he said BJP leaders were making allegations as elections were nearing. “We have invited everyone to the programme,” he pointed out.

On the BJP's allegation that the State government was organising the event keeping the coming elections in mind, Mr. Siddaramaiah sought to know what Mr. Modi was doing in Gujarat, where Assembly elections are on the anvil.