BENGALURU: Registering strong opposition to the fuel hike in Karnataka, state BJP leaders said it will be no wonder if the Congress government imposes a tax on people for breathing.
BJP leader and MLA from Karkala V Sunil Kumar said that, in the name of guarantees, the Congress State Government was out to loot people. “By ordering a hike in petrol cess, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is aiming to fill up the state’s empty coffers. The government is extorting revenue from people in all possible ways, and despite this, the government is falling short in revenue collection. In this year’s tax collection, the State Government has fallen short of Rs 13,000 crore and to cope with this, it is burdening the common people,” Sunil Kumar said.
The Congress had protested against the Centre, demanding a cut in fuel prices, he said. “Even when the cess was brought down in BJP-ruled states, the Congress kept mum. The government has increased the fee of medical education along with others by 10%... it has now hiked petrol and diesel rates. This will lead to state wide protests. It will be no wonder, if the Congress government impose a tax on people for breathing,” Sunil Kumar, who is also General Secretary, BJP Karnataka, said.
State BJP president BY Vijayendra called the hike anti-people and threatened to launch a state wide protest on Monday if the fuel hike is not rolled back.
He said that the price of all essential items has gone up, and in addition to this, there is the fuel hike, which will make a big hole in the pockets of the people. “It is the misfortune of people. Congress has fooled and misled people with their five guarantee schemes just to come back to power,” he said.
The Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly R Ashoka said, “The Congress government is taking revenge against the people as they all voted for the BJP in the Lok Sabha elections.”
He said the State Government has emptied the state’s coffers with their unscientific guarantees and added that Siddaramaiah is attempting to fill the treasury by taxing Kannadigas.