After K'taka, Kerala holds stir on fund disbursement

Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan was on Thursday joined by his Delhi counterpart Arvind Kejriwal and Tamil Nadu minister Palanivel Thaigarajan along with other INDIA bloc leaders at a "financial injustice" protest in Delhi as he alleged the Centre's "undemocratic Union over states" mentality was "crippling" the federal structure of the country.

- Vrinda Tulsian

The Left Democratic Front's demonstration at Jantar Mantar came a day after the Congress-led Karnataka government held a similar protest against the Centre's alleged "financial discrimination" in the national capital, a charge refuted by finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday.

The Opposition-ruled southern states have alleged that their share of central taxes have fallen since the implementation of the 15th finance commission, adding the Centre has imposed "arbitrary" restrictions on borrowings by the state government by underestimating GSDP (Gross State Domestic Product) growth rate.

Addressing the gathering, Vijayan said a democracy that was envisaged as a "Union of States" is slowly and steadily being crippled into an undemocratic "Union over States". "We are seeing its manifestations around the country, especially in opposition ruled states," he said. "We have all come together to register our strong protest against this and to preserve the federal structure of India."