New Delhi: BJP on Tuesday rejected the charges of discrimination against Congress-ruled states, asserting that cooperative federalism was the Modi government's "guiding mantra", and accused the opposition party of doing "its best to disrupt the constitutional framework of federalism" when it was in power.
Claiming that states were getting an additional Rs 1.4 lakh crore this year under the Modi regime, BJP also hit out at Rahul Gandhi, alleging that "making false allegations and running away has become the forte" of the Congress Vice President.
"Congress has been trying to misguide the public by saying that their states would face a loss due to decreased plan transfers. This is not only unfortunate but also an insult to the genuine efforts of the NDA government to truly empower the states," BJP said in a statement.
It said that cooperative federalism has been the NDA government's "guiding mantra" and Congress in the past never believed in the concept of federalism and "did its best to disrupt the constitutional framework of federalism".
"We reject with all the impunity the charge being levelled by (Congress President) Sonia Gandhi and the Congress leadership of any alleged discrimination to Congress-led governments in various states.
"Congress party should look at its past at the way opposition parties were harassed. After becoming the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi has given a new height to the principle of cooperative federalism," Union Minister and senior BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad said, adding that "there will be a net gain of Rs 1.4 lakh crore for states during 2015-16".
He said the biggest example of this is Narendra Modi himself when he was Gujarat Chief Minister and everyone knows how the UPA government stopped schemes of Gujarat government or bills passed by Gujarat assembly.
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said, "Congress Party had a meeting of the Chief Ministers of the nine Congress ruled states. The Party leadership raised an issue that Congress ruled states have been discriminated against by the Centre. Facts, however, speak otherwise."
On Rahul's charges, Prasad said, "It is very unfortunate, baseless allegations. We reject them."
Attacking Rahul, he said, "Rahul Gandhi has never done his homework in the past and I thought after losing power and after his much-publicised introspection for more than 59 days he would learn to do some homework. But just making false allegations and running away has become the forte of Rahul Gandhi. Therefore, none of his allegations stick."
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