BENGALURU: With fuel prices touching an all-time high -- petrol is about Rs 93/litre and diesel Rs 85/litre in Bengaluru -- opposition parties have lodged a strong protest, saying this will hit the common man’s wallet hard, especially with the Covid-19 pandemic leading to job losses and pay cuts.Such prices are unacceptable when crude oil prices are at a low of $55 a barrel, they said.
Opposition leader in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge told TNIE, “I condemn this government’s attitude. It is unfortunate that PM Modiji has blamed the Congress for this after being in power for seven years. High diesel prices have a cascading effect on farmers and the common man. Let me remind Modiji that one cannot fool all the people all the time.’’
Opposition leader Siddaramaiah said, “Petrol has touched Rs 100 per litre. This spells disaster for the poor and middle classes. PM Narendra Modi is solely responsible for this. His government has failed to manage public finance and is now taxing people to cover the deficit. During the UPA regime, petrol cost Rs 70 when crude oil was $110 a barrel. Now, petrol costs Rs 100 even when crude oil is about $55.’’
Former CM HD Kumaraswamy wanted the government to cut excise duty and levies. “PM Modi blaming previous regimes for the hike is not a statement a responsible person should make. The government needs to cut duties immediately, but it is more bothered about revenue collection. Due to the Covid pandemic, there has been a steep drop in earnings, besides job losses. How this will affect the poor and farmers is anybody’s guess.”
The Congress has threatened to hold protests across the state if fuel prices do not come down. MLC BK Hariprasad said the government has proved it is anti-farmer and anti-poor. Countering the attack, BJP General Secretary and Karnataka in-charge Arun Singh said petrol price is highest in Rajasthan, a Congress-ruled state. “Let the Congress protest in Rajasthan first,” he said.