From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network
Bengaluru, Apr 3: State JD(S) President and former chief minister H D Kumaraswamy has strongly criticized Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, the State Government and all ruling BJP leaders for their silence on what he termed as the ‘’looting’’ of people by resorting to continuous hike in petrol and diesel prices.
“The BJP leaders, who were very vocal and carried empty cylinders or pushed their vehicles and even rode bicycles during the UPA rule when prices of petroleum products were increased, have now strangely remained silent,’’ he said in a sharp reaction in Bengaluru on Sunday, April 3.
Even while creating confusion and controversy over Hijab and Halal, the ruling BJP has been continuously increasing the prices of petrol and diesel. During the last 13 days, the price of petrol has shot up by a record Rs 8 to a high of Rs 108.99 a litre in Bengaluru with the increase of 88 paise and the diesel price is Rs 92.83 per litre following the increase of 78 paise, he said.
While people are suffering, the State and Union Governments as well as oil marketing companies are fleecing people, he said.
Kumaraswamy reminded the BJP leaders in the State of their agitation when his government had increased prices of petrol by Rs 1.12 per litre and diesel by Rs 1.14 to mobilise funds of infrastructure works.
The JD(S) leader attacked the BJP for insulting former prime minister Dr Manmohan Singh as a “silent PM”’ for not speaking up when people were facing difficulties. But now their governments in the State and in Delhi have gone silent. “The BJP is not worried when people are suffering and their pockets are emptied by these hikes which has led to increase in prices of essential commodities,’’ he said.
Kumaraswamy said the BJP is only interested in Hijab, Saffron shawls, Tipu’s text in syllabus, boycott of Muslim traders and Halal and accused it of being “pro-rich.”
“BJP is nothing but a party sucking the blood of ordinary citizens,” Kumaraswamy assailed the Chief Minister and other all BJP leaders for blaming UPA on their price hike despite being in power for almost 8 years.