BJP protests against Cong govt's recent price hikes in Karnataka

Bengaluru, Nov 11 (PTI) The Karnataka BJP on Wednesday staged a protest at Freedom Park here against the state government's recent price hikes, accusing it of "burdening" the common people.

The protest was held under the leadership of BJP state president B Y Vijayendra, Leader of the Opposition in Legislative Assembly R Ashoka and Leader of Opposition in Legislative Council Chalavadi Narayanaswamy.

Later, several protesters including BJP leaders Vijayendra, C T Ravi and Narayanaswamy were detained and whisked away in a police van as they attempted to march towards Chief Minister D K Shivakumar's residence.

Raising slogans against the Congress government, BJP workers condemned the recent hike in milk prices and bus fares, accusing the government of harassing ordinary people through successive price increases.

The protesters charged the Shivakumar-led Congress government in the state with being an "anti-people government".

Addressing the gathering, Vijayendra said that the BJP has launched a statewide agitation against the Congress government for continuously burdening the common people, poor, farmers and middle-class families with price hikes over the last three-and-a-half years.

Questioning whether the state government had any humanity or sense of responsibility, he said people themselves were asking these questions as rising prices had made their lives difficult.

"The only achievement of the Congress government's three-and-a-half years in power was price rise, he alleged.

"At a time when people were looking forward to celebrating Deepavali with happiness, the state government had increased the price of milk by Rs 8 per litre. It had also increased the prices of curd and hiked the price of ghee by Rs 250 per kg, imposing an additional financial burden on people, Vijayendra said.

The BJP leader said the party had no objection if the intention was to benefit farmers.

"However, it is not right to pass on the entire burden to consumers. The government itself should bear the additional expenditure," he said.

He alleged that the impact of price rise was being felt in every sector connected with people's daily lives.

"While the government's guarantee schemes may be free, price rise is guaranteed," Vijayendra said, alleging that the government was following a policy of giving guarantees with one hand and recovering money from people through price hikes with the other.

Alleging that people in the state were fed up with price rise, the BJP leader said, "Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, your game will no longer work... There is widespread discontent among people over the Congress government's administration. Along with the guarantee schemes, you have also given people the sixth guarantee of price rise."

He warned that the government would have to face people's anger if it failed to withdraw the additional burden being imposed on them.

Vijayendra warned that the government should immediately withdraw the price hikes imposed on people, failing which protests would be organised at every gram panchayat level.

Former Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa too urged Shivakumar to roll back what he called as "unnecessary" price hikes.

"They have raised about 10 to 12 rupees. Common man suffered a lot. Not only milk prices but they have also raised bus charges and bus luggage charges also they have raised. This shows that this government was not at all bothered about the common man and that's why we are protesting and demand the Chief Minister to roll back these unnecessary price hikes," he said.

Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Assembly, Ashoka too said that bus prices, milk prices have suddenly been increased by the Karnataka government under Shivakumar.

"It is a torture for everybody, particularly poor people. They are being tortured. Before the elections, they promised that there would be no price hikes and that they would provide free services. Now, prices of everything, including milk and bus fares, have been increased. That is why BJP workers are protesting against this government today," he said.

Several party leaders, including core committee members, MPs, MLAs, MLCs, state office-bearers and district presidents, also participated in the protest, raising slogans against the Congress government.

On November 4, State Transport Minister Byrathi Suresh had announced that bus fares across Karnataka's four state-run transport corporations were hiked, with the maximum increase in KSRTC at Rs 9, while BMTC city buses witnessed a maximum hike of Rs 10.

Similarly, the Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF) also recently increased the price of its popular Nandini milk by Rs eight per litre and curd by Rs 14 per litre.

Later, the Bengaluru Milk Union (BAMUL) also revised the retail prices of Nandini ghee, butter, paneer and Trupti milk, with the new rates, which came into effect from November 4.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)