BJP leaders have strongly criticized the Congress government in Karnataka for its recent decision to increase petrol and diesel prices in the state. (Image: DC)
Mangaluru: BJP leaders have strongly criticized the Congress government in Karnataka for its recent decision to increase petrol and diesel prices in the state.
As per the notification issued by the state government today, the Karnataka Sales Tax (KST) has been raised from 25.92% to 29.84% on petrol and from 14.3% to 18.44% on diesel. The notification will come into force with immediate effect.
Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Assembly, R. Ashoka, expressed his discontent on social media platform X.
"The anti-people Congress government wants to take revenge on the people for voting for BJP in the Lok Sabha elections. Having emptied the state coffers with unscientific guarantees, the Congress government is now taxing the Kannadigas to fill the treasury," Ashoka stated. He pointed out that the Siddaramaiah government has issued an order to raise the tax on petrol and diesel, leading to a price hike of Rs 3 per liter for petrol and Rs 3.50 per liter for diesel. "This has cut into the public’s pocket," he added.
Former Chief Minister and Haveri MP-elect Basavaraj Bommai also condemned the Congress government's actions. "The Congress government in the state has bankrupted the treasury by implementing unscientific guarantee schemes and has now betrayed the people by increasing the prices of petrol and diesel," Bommai asserted on X.
He highlighted that while the previous BJP government had reduced the price of diesel by Rs 7, the current administration has increased it by Rs 4. Bommai called this move a clear indication of an empty state treasury. He demanded the immediate withdrawal of the order, describing it as a direct blow to the common man and a betrayal of the public.
BJP Mangaluru Vibhag Prabhari Uday Kumar Shetty also criticized the Congress government's decision.
"The Congress government, which has not properly fulfilled its guarantees and ignored state development, has increased petrol prices by Rs 3 per liter and diesel by Rs 3.50 per liter, burdening the people to fund its guarantees," Shetty stated.
Shetty further accused the Congress government, led by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, of increasing prices for essential commodities like rice, pulses, milk, and electricity.
He warned that if the order to hike petrol and diesel prices is not withdrawn, the people of Karnataka will teach the Congress a lesson in the forthcoming Zilla Panchayat, Taluk Panchayat, and Gram Panchayat elections.
The BJP leaders have also posted the old photos on the social media where Siddaramaiah and other Congress leaders are seen protesting against the petrol and diesel price rise when BJP was in power in the state.
( Source : Deccan Chronicle )
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