In Bengaluru, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman launched a scathing critique against Congress MP D K Suresh on Wednesday. Suresh had suggested that the southern states might feel compelled to advocate for a separate nation, citing perceived injustices in the allocation of Central grants.
Emphatically asserting that the Central government’s role is confined to adhering to the directives of the Finance Commission, Sitharaman urged the states to engage with the Commission. She urged them to articulate the factors that would warrant a favorable grant allocation.
Declining to categorize the states as a monolithic bloc, Sitharaman cautioned against the perilous idea of a collective demand for separation, saying, “If southern states… I don’t want to lump them together as a single entity… each possesses unique strengths, and there’s a risk of treading into a perilous ‘Southern states together’ narrative, potentially leading to a call for a separate nation.”
These remarks were made during an interactive session called ‘The Indian Express Adda’ in Bengaluru.
Earlier this month, Bengaluru Rural MP Suresh had contended that unless the perceived injustice in fund distribution was rectified, the southern states might be compelled to seek nationhood. He argued that tax revenue collected from the south disproportionately benefited northern regions, leaving the south with an inadequately proportionate share.
Sitharaman, disapprovingly referencing Suresh as a responsible Member of Parliament, and the brother of Karnataka’s Deputy Chief Minister, vehemently rejected the notion of advocating for separate southern states. She expressed her inability to align with such an extreme stance, saying, “I’m sorry. I cannot endorse that sentiment.”
Expanding on her viewpoint, Sitharaman, hailing from a southern state herself, voiced concern about any affiliations with those suggesting a collective demand for separation. She stressed the importance of southern states articulating their unique demands and weightages during discussions with the Finance Commission.
Reiterating the limited role of the Central government in this matter, Sitharaman emphasized that compliance with the Finance Commission’s directives is imperative. “If the Finance Commissioner instructs me to allocate a specific amount per month, I am obligated to comply. There’s no room for any Finance Minister to manipulate it in favor of one region over another,” Sitharaman affirmed.