Karnataka Boycotts NITI Aayog Meeting: Shivakumar, BJP Clash

Bengaluru, Jul 24 (PTI) Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Wednesday defended the Congress government's decision to boycott the July 27 meeting of the NITI Aayog, saying the State has got a raw deal in the Union Budget and its interests have not been protected, as BJP leaders slammed the move.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said on Tuesday the decision was taken as a mark of protest against the "neglect" of the state's demands in the Budget.
“What is the point of attending NITI Aayog meeting when it doesn't have ‘neeti'? Karnataka has got a raw deal in the Union Budget. The State has not got any projects and its interests have not been protected. We have decided to boycott the NITI Aayog meeting and stage a protest instead,” Shivakumar told reporters here.
Siddaramaiah had said that despite his earnest efforts in calling for an all party meeting of MPs in New Delhi to discuss Karnataka's essential needs, the Union Budget has neglected the State's demands.
"Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, who attended the meeting, has ignored the concerns of the people of Karnataka. We don't feel Kannadigas are heard, and hence there is no point in attending the NITI Aayog meeting," the Chief Minister had said.
Leader of Opposition in the Assembly, R Ashoka said it is disgrace that the Chief Minister has chosen to boycott the NITI Aayog meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
"Governance and development should have remained above expedient party politics and by boycotting the meeting of the apex public policy think tank of the Government of India CM Siddaramiah has insulted the 6.5 crore Kannadigas and the mandate given by them to @INCKarnataka," the BJP leader said in a post on "X".
"CM Siddaramaiah, people of Karnataka expected you to show (a) little spine and statesmanship and put the interest of the state above your @INCIndia high command's petty politics," Ashoka said.
Karnataka BJP President B Y Vijayendra said the Chief Minister himself has done injustice to the state by deciding to boycott the meeting.
"Instead of boycotting the NITI Aayog meeting, the Chief Minister should attend the meeting and safeguard the interest of the state. He should participate in the meeting instead of playing politics as he represents six-and-a-half crore Kannadigas," he added.
Meanwhile, when asked about the BJP's opposition to the proposed Greater Bengaluru Governance (GBA) Bill, Shivakumar said: “They are trying to politicise this. I don't do anything in a hurry, I have only tabled it. Let them debate on it in detail and then take a decision. Bengaluru is growing in an uncontrolled way and it needs good governance.”
The Karnataka government on Tuesday tabled in the Assembly the proposed Bill which aims at establishing a maximum of ten city corporations in order to decentralise municipal administration.
The Bill moots the founding of the GBA with Chief Minister as the ex-officio chairperson, the minister in charge of Bengaluru as vice-chairperson and the chief commissioner of the Greater Bengaluru Authority as member secretary.