BJP stages protest against fuel price hike in Kittur Karnataka, Kalyana Karnataka regions
It says the Congress-led government has imposed a burden on the common man by hiking fuel prices with a view to mobilising funds for guarantee schemes
Stating that the Congress-led government has hiked fuel prices in the State to mobilise funds for its guarantee schemes, members of the Bharatiya Janata Party led by its leaders, including MLAs and former Ministers, staged protests in the districts of Kittur Karnataka and Kalyana Karnataka regions on Monday.
The BJP workers took out protest marches with bullock carts, pushed their motorcycles, displayed coconut shells and torched them to mark their protest against the hike in fuel prices implemented by the Congress government.
Scores of BJP leaders and workers staged demonstrations at the district headquarters, in front of the offices of the Deputy Commissioners in various districts and urged the government to withdraw the hike immediately.
BJP workers staging a protest against fuel price hike in Yadgir on Monday under the leadership of the former MLA Venkatareddy Mudnal.
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SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
In Dharwad, the former Minister Shankar Patil Munenakoppa and BJP office-bearers led the protest staged in front of the Deputy Commissioner’s office.
They pushed the motorcycles for some time on the road and then burnt the coconut shells to register their protest. They held placards saying that the government is looting the public exchequer in the name of guarantee schemes.
Addressing the protestors, Shankar Patil Munenakoppa said that in the name of guarantee schemes, the Congress government is imposing further burden on the general public.
Already, the State government hiked government fees for several services and now, it has increased fuel prices making the lives of the common people miserable, he said, demanding the immediate withdrawal of the decision.
Similar protests were held in Gadag, Haveri and Uttara Kannada and other districts.
BJP workers staging a protest against fuel price hike in Kalaburagi on Monday.
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ARUN KULKARNI
In Kalaburagi, Yadgir, Raicur, Ballari and Koppal districts, similar protests were staged with BJP workers participating in large numbers in them.
Hundreds of party workers led by local leaders in these districts took to the streets against the Congress government’s move to hike tax.
BJP members staging a protest in Raichur on Monday against the fuel price hike.
| Photo Credit:
Santosh Sagar
The protestors said that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who had promised to reduce fuel prices once he came to power, has instead, increased it in order to fill the State coffers that are now empty because of the guarantee schemes.
Several of them came in bullock cards and rode bicycles holding party flags and placards highlighting the burden on the common man being imposed by the Congress government.
Taxi drivers
In Yadgir, taxi drivers also staged a protest under the leadership of social activist Umesh Mudnal, who strongly condemned the Congress government’s action and termed it a big blow to the working class, including drivers and taxi owners.
The sudden hike in fuel prices will force taxi drivers to increase fares, he said.
Meanwhile, defending the government’s decision in Kalaburagi, Minister for Medical Education and Raichur district in-charge Sharan Prakash Patil said that BJP leaders and activists should have staged protests outside the Prime Minister’s house instead.
“The Union government is collecting higher central excise duty from the State, though the prices of crude oil in the international market are low. Therefore, the State government has increased fuel prices based on tax collection,” Dr. Patil said and added that Karnataka is the only State with a lower fuel price compared to other States in South India.
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