The row over the Karnataka government hiking the prices of petrol and diesel snowballed on Monday with the BJP holding statewide protests and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah claiming that the increase was necessitated by "injustice" done to the state. Mr Siddaramiah said the BJP-led government at the Centre wasn't doing justice in terms of Karnataka's share of central funds and GST devolution, and in releasing money for state projects.
Hitting out at Mr Siddaramaiah's claims, Petroleum Minister Hardeep Puri has termed the allegations absurd.
In an exclusive interview with NDTV, Mr Puri responded to the claim that petrol and prices hadn't gone up as much during the UPA government as it had during the NDA's tenure.
"In Bengaluru, between 2004 and 2014, the hike was 84%. From Rs 43.07, the price of petrol per litre went up to Rs 79.24. For diesel, the hike was from Rs 28.41 to Rs 60.01, or 111%. During the NDA government, from 2014-2024, the hike was 26% - the price of petrol has gone up from Rs 79.24 to 99.84. Diesel prices went up by 43% as against their 111%," the minister said.
Emphasising that India continues to depend on imports, Mr Puri said the cost of imported oil and the cost of importation was taken care of by the UPA by issuing oil bonds.
"They borrowed Rs 1.41 lakh crore to keep the prices down. Now we are having to pay back Rs 3.2 lakh crore. We are repaying their oil bonds and, in addition, have reduced the excise duty twice, in November 2021 and May 2022, which brought down the price of petrol and diesel by 13 and 16 rupees on account of excise," he said.
The prices of petrol and diesel in the state have gone up by Rs 3 per litre and diesel by Rs 3.5 per litre because the state has increased sales tax. The decision came days after the Lok Sabha polls, in which the BJP won 17 of the state's 28 seats and the Congress got nine.
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