Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, along with his deputy D K Shivakumar and a contingent of ministers and legislators, staged a symbolic dharna on Sunday.
Their grievances centered on what they perceive as a grave injustice by the union government in the allocation of drought relief funds to the state.
Gathering in front of the iconic Mahatma Gandhi statue within the premises of "Vidhana Soudha," the nerve center of Karnataka's legislative and administrative machinery, the leaders held aloft 'Chombu,' a traditional water pot symbolizing emptiness and deception.
They voiced vehement accusations against the Centre, alleging that Karnataka had been severely shortchanged in the allocation of funds crucial for mitigating the unprecedented drought conditions prevailing in the state.
According to official declarations, a staggering 226 out of the total 236 Taluks in Karnataka have been designated as drought-hit, with reports indicating extensive crop losses across 48 lakh hectares of land. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah underscored the severity of the situation.
The crux of their discontent lies in the disparity between the state's demand for drought relief funds and the meager allocation provided by the union government.
Siddaramaiah revealed that Karnataka had initially petitioned for a substantial sum of Rs 18,171 crore to address the multifaceted challenges posed by the drought.
However, to the dismay of state authorities, the union government sanctioned a mere fraction of this amount, releasing only Rs 3,454 crore.
This allocation, Siddaramaiah emphasized, fell drastically short of meeting the state's pressing needs.
The leaders accused the Centre of 'cheating' the state by reneging on its responsibility to provide adequate assistance during this humanitarian crisis.
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