Diesel price hike: 6 lakh trucks stay off roads in Karnataka, BJP slams Siddaramaiah govt
More than six lakh trucks are off the roads in Karnataka since Monday midnight as the Federation of Karnataka State Lorry Owners and Agents Association has launched an indefinite strike demanding the rollback of the hike in diesel price owing to a hike in sales tax.
The association has also demanded the abolition of toll collection on state highways and reduction of fee for fitness certificate among other demands. However, trucks carrying essential commodities like milk and perishable items have been exempted from the stir.
"The diesel prices have soared, toll fares, fitness certificate (FC), and cost of spare parts have all increased. We won't be able to sustain the business if we hike the rental accordingly. The government will have to roll back the diesel price hike," said G.R. Shanmugappa, president of the association.
Incidentally, the Federation of the Lorry Owners Association and Transport has denied support to the strike stating they were not consulted before announcing the statewide stir. "We are the main association and we will not support the strike as the diesel price in Karnataka is the lowest in South India," said Channa Reddy, honorary president of the association.
Meanwhile, Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy urged the associations to call off the strike stating the diesel price was the lowest in Karnataka and the marginal rise of ₹2 was inevitable. "Why didn't they call a strike when the Centre kept increasing the diesel price over the last decade?" said Reddy indicating the strike was politically motivated.
Reddy also cited the price hikes in the UPA and the NDA regimes. "In 2015, the diesel cost was ₹49.50 and now it is ₹91.05. The crude oil cost during the Manmohan Singh regime was $140 per barrel and the diesel price was ₹41.29 per litre. But under Modi rule, the crude oil prices dropped to $60 per barrel, but diesel cost soared to ₹91 per litre," claimed Reddy.
BJP state president B.Y. Vijayendra slammed the Congress government in the state saying the Siddaramaiah government was blaming the Central government and spreading misinformation to hide its own failures.
"During the UPA rule from 2004 to 2014, petrol prices had increased by 90% and diesel prices by 96%. But under the NDA government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, from 2014 to 2024, petrol prices rose from ₹72 to ₹100 — a 38% increase. Diesel prices increased from ₹55 to ₹90 — a 63% increase," asserted Vijayendra, during a press meet.
India