Petrol and diesel prices in Karnataka rose by Rs 3 and Rs 3.02, respectively, on Sunday following a state government increase in sales tax on these fuels.
According to a government notification, the Karnataka Sales Tax (KST) on petrol has been raised from 25.92 percent to 29.84 percent, and on diesel from 14.3 percent to 18.4 percent. As a result, petrol prices have increased by Rs 3, and diesel prices have gone up by Rs 3.02.
#WATCH | Petrol and diesel prices are likely to go up in Karnataka as the state govt revises sales tax by 29.84% and 18.44%. According to the Petroleum Dealers Association, petrol and diesel prices are likely to go up by Rs 3 and Rs 3.05 approximately in Karnataka.
A biker in… pic.twitter.com/3IWTY7ihxz
— ANI (@ANI) June 15, 2024
The state finance department notification stated that the price hike would take effect immediately. Meanwhile, BJP leaders criticized the decision of the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government to increase the sales tax.
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BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla criticized the Congress government’s decision, stating that it exposes the true face of the Congress party. He accused the Congress of raising petrol and diesel prices despite claiming there is inflation in the country. Poonawalla described the move in Karnataka as an anti-farmer and anti-common man decision, likening it to a fatwa or jizyah tax, and noted that petrol and diesel prices have increased by Rs 3 and Rs 3.05, respectively.
He alleged that the government hiked the tax because they have bankrupted Karnataka because of their schemes.
Motorists in the state expressed unhappiness over the decision. A biker in Bengaluru told news agency ANI, “The rich can afford petrol, but where will we go? I work at a BPO. I will have to spend Rs 15,000 on petrol… This will greatly affect us.”
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