Bengaluru: In his Independence Day address, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah brought back the issue of delayed fund allocation to states and urged the union government to release fair grants to states for development.
Addressing packed stands on the 78th Independence Day at the Field Marshal Manekshaw Parade Ground in Bengaluru, he noted that the union government had âignored” Constitutional principles and delayed states their due financial share, thus inconveniencing people.
âHistory shows that people have never forgiven backdoor politics that disregards peopleâs mandate. In a democratic system, it is expected that opposition parties function responsibly in tandem with Constitutional principles, by respecting the peopleâs mandate,â he said, noting that the Lok Sabha elections reflected the electorate’s political acumen ensuring that âdemocracy cannot be a puppet in anyoneâs handsâ.
In his 33-minute speech, Siddaramaiah paid his respects to the efforts of freedom fighters in the Independence movement, noting that if citizens failed their dreams of independent India, âwe will end up witnessing disturbing developments like the ones happening in our neighbouring countriesâ.