Former Karnataka Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy on Thursday accused the Centre of being partial to Uttar Pradesh, alleging that the Centre had supplied only 120 metric tonnes of oxygen to Karnataka despite the court’s order to supply 1,200 metric tonnes.
"The Centre has displayed the height of partiality by providing 1,680 metric tonnes of Oxygen to Uttar Pradesh though it has fewer COVID cases compared to us (Karnataka)," he tweeted. "Have Kannadigas become orphans in this federal structure? The bias attitude of the Centre with respect to Karnataka has been exposed by the statistics furnished by the Government itself," he said in a series of tweets.
Questioning the Centre over the allocation, Mr. Kumaraswamy, he said: " Why the Centre has so much contempt against Karnataka and Kannadigas? Is it due to the fact that Karnataka has elected highest MPs for the BJP or is it an effort to project Yediyurappa as a villain?"
He alleged that the Centre should understand that it is functoning under a federal structure and hence equal priority should be given to all the States. It is an obligation on the part of the Government to take care of the needs of those in dire situation, he added.
The former Chief Minister said: "The Chief Secretary himself has expressed helplessness with respect to the availability of vaccines. He has said that those wanting to take the first dose will have to wait as priority would be given to those taking the second dose in the wake of Centre supplying only 7 lakh doses as against the request to provide 3 crore doses."
He asked those supporting the decisions of BJP if they are willing to take responsibility for the large number of Kannadigas who are losing their lives due to oxygen shortage.
"Though the Centre gave only 120 metric tonnes of oxygen as against the court instruction of 1,200 metric tonnes, the Union Ministers and BJP MPs have fallen over to congratulate Prime Minister Narendra Modi and thank him for the oxygen."
The Centre should shun the arrogance that comes from the belief that it is most powerful and instead take measures to fulfill the genuine requirements of Karnataka and realise that it is running the federal government, he added.
However, responding to Mr. Kumaraswamy’s tweets, BJP National General Secretary C.T. Ravi in another tweet said that the total allocation of Oxygen for Karnataka is 1,075 metric tonnes, and the 120 metric tonnes mentioned is through one Oxygen Express to meet the State’s emergency needs.
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