Kumaraswamy, Shivakumar allege discrimination in Oxygen supply to Karnataka, slam Centre

After the Centre moved Supreme Court against the Karnataka High Court order on ramping up Oxygen supply in the state, former Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy lashed out at the Government for discriminating against the Kannadigas. Taking to Twitter, Kumaraswamy alleged that despite being an oxygen-producing state, Karnataka was not getting its due share urging the BJP MPs in the state to stand up against the Centre in protest.

"The Central government has challenged the High Court's order to supply 1,200 tonnes of oxygen per day to Karnataka in the Supreme Court. It argued that if the supply of oxygen to Karnataka increases, the health system will collapse," he said in a series of tweets.

"Karnataka and Kannadigas have somehow tolerated discrimination in grants, discrimination in GST dues, discrimination in floods and drought. But how can we tolerate this deadly discrimination of breath-taking?" he asked."BJP MPs in the state should question such central discrimination. Those who have locked their mouths so far, let them open their mouths open to save the lives of the people," he added.

The former CM shared that despite producing 1,200 MTs of Oxygen per day, Karnataka was only receiving about 865 to 965 MTs adding the state should not have to sacrifice the lives of its own people to save citizens from other states. "Our demand is to give ourselves the oxygen we are producing. We must not get caught up in the dilemma of sacrificing our lives and the necessity of saving the lives of the people of Gujarat and other states. Let the centre give us our share," he said.

The Centre's decision to move SC also drew the ire of Congress leader DK Shivakumar who called CM BS Yediyurappa a 'mute spectator' for giving in to the Centre even as people in the state continue to lose their lives due to the Oxygen shortage.

Centre moves SC over HC order on Oxygen

After the Karnataka HC ordered the Centre to enhance the supply of liquid medical oxygen to the state to 1200 MT, the Centre moved the SC urging for an immediate stay on the decision. 

A Supreme Court bench headed by Justice D Y Chandrachud was told by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta that the state is being supplied 965 MT LMO remarking that 'the HC had failed to consider the rationale behind the allocation of certain amounts of oxygen to each State'. 

The bench, also comprising Justice M R Shah, said it will have to look at the paper book before issuing any order.