The Union government on Tuesday came under attack from non-BJP-ruled states as Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia accused it of “murdering federalism” and Uttarakhand chief minister Harish Raw
The Union government on Tuesday came under attack from non-BJP-ruled states as Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia accused it of “murdering federalism” and Uttarakhand chief minister Harish Rawat claimed that the states were “suffocating” under the Modi government.
Speaking at an event organised for the Budget Session of Parliament, Mr Rawat said power is so “centralised” in the hands of Prime Minister Narendra Modi that even the Union finance minister “cannot assure you that your concerns will be taken care of.” Mr Sisodia accused the Centre of not letting the Kejriwal government function freely and charged the NDA with lacking the “right mindset.”
“When we say let us work, they will say it is the Centre which has powers. When we demand money, they ask us to generate funds on our own,” he said.
Union minister of state for agriculture Sanjeev Kumar Balyan refuted the allegations, saying the NDA government had ensured that the states receive more funds, a move, he claimed, suggestive of a strong federal set-up.
Mr Balyan said had the Prime Minister not thought of strengthening the Centre-state rapport, he would not have increased share of states in Central taxes from 32 per cent to 42 per cent. “He wanted to ensure states become independent financially, that they do not rely on the Centre for assistance. He would not have increased share of states, if cooperative federalism was not on his mind,” the minister said.
