BJP on fuel price hike: Cong govt may impose tax on O2

Mangaluru: The Congress govt in Karnataka is engaged in looting the state in the name of guarantee schemes, said BJP state general secretary V Sunil Kumar. He told reporters here on Saturday, that CM Siddaramaiah has initiated the process of filling the empty exchequer of the state by signing the order to hike the cess on petrol by Rs 3/litre.
“Even after plundering people by levying additional taxes through all possible revenue sources, the state exchequer is collapsing day by day.There is a huge deficit of Rs 13,000 crore in the revenue collection this year. As a result, the govt has taken steps to fill the coffers of the exchequer by making people pay additional taxes,” said Kumar.
Recalling the protests that the Congress launched against the central govt when the price of fuel increased earlier, the MLA said that all states ruled by the BJP had reduced the petrol cess then. “Only Karnataka did not reduce the petrol cess. Now, the govt has increased the cess on petrol even before the budget,” he said.
“It is necessary that we launch a statewide protest against the hike in cess on petrol. If the situation continues like this, the Congress govt may impose a tax on the oxygen that we breathe too in the future,” he added.
Govt makes life of people miserable: MP Chowta
Newly elected Dakshina Kannada MP Capt Brijesh Chowta said that the Congress govt has made life of people miserable by hiking the cess on petrol and diesel.
He stated that the govt has hiked the cess as it is struggling to strike a balance between the implementation of unscientific guarantee schemes and the development of the state. “This is the highest hike in the cess on petrol and diesel that the state govt has made. They have hiked the prices soon after the elections. The govt should immediately withdraw the decision in the interest of the people,” he said.
Nalin Kumar Kateel, former BJP state president, said that the Congress govt has exhibited its anti-people policy again by hiking the fuel prices by 4%. “With an increase in the price of petrol and diesel, the transportation cost will also go up drastically. This will lead to an increase in the price of essential commodities, making life miserable for people,” Kateel said. Udupi MLA Yashpal Suvarna said that the Congress govt under CM Siddaramaiah has hiked fuel prices out of frustration due to the Lok Sabha poll debacle.