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Karnataka Leader of Opposition and Bharatiya Janata Party Leader R Ashoka criticised the state government for increasing the prices of petrol and diesel alleging that the Congress government will take revenge for Kannadigas voting for BJP in the Lok Sabha elections.
"This anti-people Congress government is going to take revenge for Kannadigas voting for BJP in the Lok Sabha elections. Having emptied the state coffers with unscientific guarantees @INCKarnataka the government is going to fill the treasury by taxing the Kannadigas," Ashoka posted on X. "The CM @siddaramaiah government has issued an order to increase the tax on petrol and diesel, increasing the price of petrol to Rs 3 and diesel to Rs 3.50 in the state. The increase has cut into the public's pocket," he added. Union Minister BL Verma said, "I condemn this step of the Karnataka government...They are burdening the people of Karnataka with high prices..." The increase in the price of petrol and diesel comes following an official notification from the Government of Karnataka, which indicates a revision in the sales tax levied on petroleum products. The price of petrol has surged by Rs 3, bringing the cost per litre in Bengaluru to Rs 102.84, up from the previous rate of Rs 99.84. Similarly, the price of diesel has increased by Rs 3.02, raising the cost per litre from Rs 85.93 to Rs 88.95. According to the Petroleum Dealers Association, the price has increased because the state government has revised the sales tax in the state, which is levied on petroleum products in the state. According to the notification, the sales tax on petrol has been increased from 25.92 perc ent to 29.84 per cent, while the tax on diesel has risen from 14.3 per cent to 18.4 per cent by the state government. This significant increase in the sales tax has directly impacted the retail prices of both petrol and diesel across the state. The move by the Finance Department of Karnataka aims to generate additional revenue for the state. However, it is likely to have a ripple effect on various sectors, including transportation and goods distribution, potentially leading to increased costs for consumers. The immediate implementation of these new prices has caught many residents and businesses by surprise, prompting concerns over the financial burden it may impose. (ANI)
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