FM has no discretion in allocation of tax revenue, says Nirmala Sitharaman hitting back at Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury

Sitharaman said such a situation cannot happen as the "system is well placed" and the central government works according to recommendations of the Finance Commission.

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday came down heavily on allegations that the Centre is withholding funds meant for non-BJP governed states, saying it is a "politically-vitiated narrative" that "vested interests" are happy to go about saying.

She was replying to a question by Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on the Karnataka government's claim that the Centre is not releasing funds due to it. The finance minister said such a situation cannot happen as the "system is well placed" and the central government works according to recommendations of the Finance Commission.

"This apprehension that some states are being discriminated against is a politically-vitiated narrative which, I am sorry to say, vested interests are happy to go about saying," she said during Question Hour.

Replying to a question by Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury in the Lok Sabha on the Karnataka government's claim that the Centre is not releasing funds due to it, Sitharaman said such a situation cannot happen as the "system is well placed" and the central government works according to recommendations of the Finance Commission.

There have been reports that Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar said the Congress' state unit -- including all MLAs, MLCs and MPs -- will protest against the Union government on February 7 in New Delhi for not allocating proper funds to the state in the interim Budget.