Siddaramaiah hits out at Centre over fuel price hike, says Congress can't be blamed for it

On Monday, the Leader of Opposition in Karnataka Assembly Siddaramaiah questioned the central government over the blame game in the fuel price hike in the country. Having started a protest against the price hike in the state, Siddaramaiah lashed out at the centre for blaming Congress over the issue. In a show of protest, the opposition leader made his way from his residence to the Legislative Assembly for the beginning of the Monsoon Session on a bullock cart.

Siddaramaiah hit out at the BJP-led government for accusing the opposition of the fuel price issue. “Blaming Congress (for the fuel price hike) is totally lame. There was a loan of Rs 1,30,000, today Centre has collected Rs 24 lakh crores via excise duty. Where is Rs 1,30,000 and where is Rs 24 Lakh Crores!” the Congress leader told ANI. Earlier, multiple BJP leaders had accused Congress of paving way for the fuel price hike and some leaders even called the hike political propaganda by the opposition.

Congress leaders protest outside Karnataka Assembly 

On Monday, the Congress party in Karnataka held a massive protest outside Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru against rising fuel rates. Congress leaders, including Leader of Opposition Siddaramaiah and State Congress president DK Shivakumar, protested by reaching the Legislative Assembly on bullock carts. The opposition leaders held the protest significantly today as it is the first day of the Monsoon session of the state legislature. 

Fuel price hike: Congress' demands

While speaking to Republic, KPCC President DK Shivakumar detailed the demands. "Demand to reduce Rs 150 from Gas, Rs 25 from Petrol and Rs 15 from diesel. We will continue to protest until we remove this Government," said Shivakumar while protesting. Meanwhile, another Congress leader from the protest side added that India should have petrol rates lesser than Pakistan, Burma, Bangladesh and Nepal. He said that when India should be compared to European countries, including Germany, the US, UK, Singapore, our nation is getting compared to Pakistan, Bangladesh, Burma and Nepal. 

Sky-high fuel prices in India

It is pertinent to note that the substantial taxation imposed by the central and state governments are largely responsible for the final retail price of fuel. Central government fuel excise duty, state-level taxes, and Value-Added Tax (VAT), which accounts for the majority of it, are among these taxes. There remain other charges levied by state-owned oil corporations, which add a significant amount to the fuel price, which has sky-rocketed in recent times. The BJP government has, however, maintained that the prices can’t be brought down as the government is keeping the tax money to spend on welfare schemes.

Image: PTI/ Twitter