Bengaluru, March 27: R. Ashok, a senior BJP leader and opposition head in Karnataka, has launched a counterattack against Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar of the Congress party. Ashok accused the Congress-led state government of repeatedly increasing taxes on petrol and diesel, thereby imposing an additional burden on the public.
He stated that while the opposition’s concerns are valid, the government’s policies have contributed to rising fuel prices.
In a media interaction, Ashok expressed disbelief that Shivakumar is discussing the rising costs of fuel when the state government itself has raised taxes on petrol and diesel, making fuel more expensive for the public.
He alleged that since coming to power in May 2023, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s Congress government has turned fuel into a major revenue source to offset financial deficits. In June 2024, the state government raised the sales tax, increasing petrol prices by nearly ₹3 per liter and diesel prices by about ₹3.5 per liter. Subsequently, in April 2025, diesel prices saw an additional hike of ₹2 per liter.
Ashok questioned why Shivakumar, who speaks against the central government, is punishing farmers, transporters, and the general public with high fuel prices.
He also pointed out that the Congress-led UPA government (2005–2010) issued oil bonds, deferring subsidy costs to future governments, which the current NDA government is now repaying. Ashok mentioned that this debt, including interest, has exceeded ₹1.5 lakh crore.
Comparing the central and state governments, Ashok noted that when the central government adjusted excise duties in April 2025, it did not affect retail consumers. In contrast, the burden of increased fuel taxes by the Karnataka government has directly impacted the public.
He challenged the Congress government to retract the alleged ₹5.5 per liter increase in diesel prices if they genuinely care about the public. He emphasized that the public understands the situation and that the government should provide concrete relief instead of mere rhetoric.
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