Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) President Sukhbir Singh Badal in a statement on Tuesday lashed out at the Central government, saying that its proposed move to further slash states’ share in the Divisible Pool of Revenue is unfortunate. Badal reiterated his party’s demand that the states’ share in this pool must be raised to 50% “at the very least.”
Sukhbir Singh Badal, whose SAD quit the NDA over the farm laws, also called for a national initiative to protect the federal structure of the country. “Time has come for a nationwide awareness and movement for securing greater fiscal autonomy for all states. This is the only long-term solution to Centre’s growing hegemony, which is working against our national interest.”
He said that SAD has always been a votary of more powers to the states and has made huge sacrifices for this cause. “Strong states mean a strong India, just as strong limbs mean a strong body. You cannot weaken legs and arms or heart and lungs and still claim that the body as a whole would remain strong. Those at the helm at the Centre need to understand this.”
Badal also stressed the need for revisiting the formulae for the horizontal allocation of funds among various states. “It is unfortunate that the federal structure of the country has been under constant attacks from successive governments at the Centre. Unfortunately, the present government is no exception.
The states have already been reduced to the status of beggars at the Centre’s door. The latest reported move is only one more step to impoverish them further and to make them complete slaves before the Centre,” said Badal in a strongly-worded statement.
