A nation is secure only if states are secure: Siddaramaiah

Bengaluru, Feb 21 (IANS) Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has said that a country is secure only if the states are secure while reiterating "the Centre should not weaken the states". He said this while replying to the debate on the Governor's speech in the Legislative Council on Wednesday. "The federal system should not be destroyed. Prime Minister Narendra Modi says 'cooperative federalism'... but the same is not seen in him or in the Central government's behaviour. "As the budget size of the Centre increases, the share of the state should also increase accordingly. However, even as the budget size of the Centre is increasing, the share of taxes and grants due to the Kannadigas is decreasing. It is our duty to protect the Kannadigas. If the state is strong, the Centre will be strong," he said. --IANSmka/pgh

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