Bengaluru, Apr 10 (PTI) Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Thursday said that the ruling Congress in the state will hold a protest in Bengaluru on April 17 against the central government's price rise, and to counter the BJP's 'Janaakrosha Yatre'.
He accused the BJP-led government at the Centre of being responsible for the rise in prices of all essential commodities, including petrol, diesel and cooking gas.
This protest is a counter to the Karnataka BJP's ongoing 16-day 'Janaakrosha Yatre', a statewide campaign against the Congress government in the state, launched on Monday, for hike in price of essential commodities, alleged Muslim appeasement, and alleged diversion funds meant for Dalit welfare.
"We have to respond to the BJP. So, on April 17 at 11 am, under the leadership of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, AICC general secretary Randeep Singh Surjewla and myself, we will also hold a Janaakrosha protest against the BJP led central government. We will subsequently inform about the taluk and district level protests," Shivakumar, who is also the state Congress president, said.
Speaking to reporters here, he said the Congress party will protest against the central government, condemning the price rise and the state BJP's stand.
"The BJP is speaking about people's outrage against our government, but the people in fact are enjoying the benefits of free bus service, free power, 10 kg rice at free of cost, and Rs 2,000 per month to the accounts of women. We have got the survey done, people are happy," he added.
The central government on Monday hiked the cooking gas price by a steep Rs 50 per cylinder and raised excise duty on petrol and diesel by Rs 2 per litre each, but without changing retail prices.
The BJP's Janaakrosha Yatre should be against their government at the Centre, as they don't have anything to protest against the state government, Shivakumar said. Coming to the rescue of people suffering from price rise, the Congress government is implementing the guarantee schemes worth Rs 52,000 crore, he added.
To cover up their internal rifts and the central government's policies that have affected all sections of the society, the state BJP is doing this campaign. "The central government gave a gift to the BJP leaders the day they started the campaign by hiking the cooking gas price by Rs 50 per cylinder and raising excise duty on petrol and diesel by Rs 2 per litre each," he said.
Alleging that despite declining crude oil prices, the central government has not reduced petrol and diesel prices, the KPCC chief said when the state government hiked the milk prices to protect the interest of farmers, the BJP is protesting against it. The BJP is "anti farmer", he added.
The milk prices in the state are less compared to other states. The water prices and user fee for solid waste management services have been increased very marginally, by ensuring that it does not affect the poor, he said.
Pointing to the price of gold, mobile phone, TV, AC, refrigerators, cement, iron, vehicles, tractors, and also toll charges which have doubled now compared to the UPA regime, the Deputy CM, while targeting the central government, asked, "can't BJP leaders see this?"
Accusing the BJP of protesting against the five guarantee schemes being implemented by the government for the livelihood of the poor, Shivakumar said they are unable to digest the fact that the Congress government has implemented them successfully, as they had never expected it to happen.
"Continue your Janaakrosha Yatre by making changes on your placards and banners that it is against the BJP's central government. I'm not asking you to stop it, you should continue it," he added.