Condemning the remarks of Bengaluru MP DK Suresh, Mallikarjun Kharge said that the Congress does not stand with anyone who speaks about “breaking the nation”.
New Delhi: Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge on Friday condemned Karnataka MP DK Suresh’s ‘separate South’ remarks which caused an uproar in the Rajya Sabha with BJP members that the matter be referred to the ethics committee of the Lower House.
Kharge, who is also the Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, said the Congress will will not tolerate or stand for anyone speaking about ‘breaking the country’. “From Kanyakumari to Kashmir, the country and its people are one and will remain so,” the Congress President said while addressing the House.
‘Separate South’
On Thursday, Congress MP DK Suresh, triggered a massive row after he remarked that southern states may soon demand separate nationhood if budgetary allocations continue to be in favour of northern India.
Suresh, the brother of Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, alleged that the BJP-led Centre was mopping up crores in taxes from the southern states while giving them a negligible share of the same, adding that there will soon be a demand for separate nationhood if the ‘injustice’ continued.
“The Centre is not giving the proper share of GST and direct taxes to South Indian states. We are facing grave injustice. The money collected from southern states through taxes is going to North Indian states. If this continues, we will be forced to demand a separate country,” the Congress leader had said.
“The Centre is taking over Rs 4 lakh crore from us (from tax mop-ups) and we are only receiving a negligible share of it. We need to come out against this and question this government. If the government doesn’t go in for necessary course correction, all southern states will have to raise the demand for a separate country,” Suresh added.
Condemning the MP’s remarks, Kharge said that the Congress does not stand with anyone who speaks about “breaking the nation”.
“Anyone who speaks of breaking the country can’t be tolerated, regardless of which party he belongs to. Mallikarjun Kharge will be the first to say that from Kanyakumari to Kashmir, we are one and we will be so,” the Congress veteran said.
BJP demands Ethics Committee intervention
Meanwhile, amid tumultuous scenes in the Lok Sabha over DK Suresh’s remarks, the BJP has demanded the matter to be referred to the Ethics Committee. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi said the Congress MP’s comments were anti-constitutional and marks a violation of the solemn oath as a Lok Sabha member.
In a similar tone, BJP MP Tejaswi Surya, quoting national poet Kuvempu, posted from his X handle, “Rashtrakavi Kuvempu, in our Nada Geethe, says, ‘Jaya Bharatha Jananiya Tanujaate, Jaya Hey Karnataka Mathe (Victory to Mother Karnataka, The Daughter of Mother India!).”
Accusing the Congress of playing divisive politics, the BJP MP added, “While the Congress Party has a history of ‘Divide and Rule’, its MP Sri @DKSureshINC plays the trick again now, wanting the North and South to be divided.”
Surya added that the the tax devolution under Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been far more than when the UPA government was in power.
“The tax devolution to Karnataka during UPA-2 from 2009-14 stood at Rs 53,396 crore, whereas Tax devolution during 2014-19 under Sri @NarendraModi Ji Govt crossed 1.35 lakh crore,” Surya wrote.
Karnataka ‘deprived’ of funds
Hitting back at the BJP MP, Suresh said the Centre has deprived Karnataka of funds and development.
“You & the other 25 MPs have become spineless, while unfortunately I cannot join your ranks, I continue to speak against this injustice,” said the Congress leader.
He claimed that the state’s share came down to 3.64 per cent in the 15th Finance Commission as compared to 4.71% in the 14th Finance Commission.
“While Karnataka stands 2nd in Highest GST Collection, it is one of the last few states to receive grants. Karnataka was among the states that lost heavily under the 15th Finance Commission. The 14th Finance Commission gave #Karnataka a share of 4.71% in the divisible pool of taxes. The state’s share came down to 3.64%,” Suresh claimed.
(With ANI inputs)