Opposing the Karnataka Congress government’s decision to hike petrol and diesel prices by ₹3 and ₹3.50 respectively, several BJP leaders are set to stage a statewide protest on Monday.

The decision, which was announced on June 15 via a notification circulated by the finance department, also stated that the sales tax for petrol increased from 25.92 percent to 29.84 percent and from 14.34 percent to 18.44 percent for diesel. The price of petrol, which earlier was ₹99.84, will now be ₹102.84. Diesel, on the other hand, is now ₹88.95.

Talking to reporters, the state president of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), BY Vijayendra, said, “The BJP demands the Chief Minister to roll back this decision immediately.

If not, there will be a protest across Karnataka. On one side, farmers are suffering from drought. The Karnataka government’s financial situation is also in distress. They are finding it difficult to organize funds to run the state government. This decision will affect all Karnataka citizens.”

JD(S)’ H D Kumaraswamy, who is also the Union Heavy Industries and Steel Minister, pushed back against the decision saying, “This will not affect the state government, but regular citizens. They are already burdened in cases of alcohol sales, stamps, and registrations. Guidelines value also increased. This is probably the first large hike in the state. The revenue shortage faced by the state government due to the five guarantee schemes is apparent now.”

Karnataka MP Tejasvi Surya tweeted indicating other hikes implemented by the Congress government. He mentioned the 15 percent hike in engineering fees, a ₹2.4 hike in electricity prices, 30-50 percent hike in property prices among others.

The MP also pointed out the Valmiki Development Corporation financial fraud, which he said was being used to swindle money worth multi-crore and park in Telangana’s Congress-ruled government. “This is a govt which loots people and has made it to power with lies, and false promises,” he added.

However, CM Siddaramaiah justified the hike saying Karnataka’s fuel rates are still lower than in other states. He tweeted that in Maharashtra, the VAT on petrol is 25 percent plus ₹5.12 additional tax and 21 percent on diesel. He added that despite the VAT hike, diesel prices in Karnataka are still lower than in BJP-ruled Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh.

Political analyst Rajendra Chenni, commented, “I don’t think it is too drastic or unusual. The fuel is still cheaper in Karnataka compared to other states. The hike is routine and not as drastic as some in the past, where prices nearly tripled in some cases.

This increase is somewhere between ₹3-4. I know it will affect the common man, but I think it will also be, in a way, misused to justify price hikes in other domains, where it may not be directly responsible. So that I think is going to be the challenge.”

(with inputs from bl intern Vidushi Nautiyal)

Related Topics