Terming the BJP as being “anti-farmer” for opposing the milk price hike, Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Wednesday said the government had allowed the milk price hike to empower local bodies and to benefit farmers.
“Despite the price revision, milk and curd are still cheaper in Karnataka than in other States. When we reduced the power tariff, the BJP did not speak. If they are concerned about the public, they should get the price of diesel and petrol reduced, besides that of cattle feed,” he told presspersons here. He was responding to the BJP’s protest against price rise.
Stating that the water tariff revision was imminent, the Deputy Chief Minister said there was a need to increase the water tariff by one paisa and the government had instructed the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) to bring the revision without hurting the public.
On the garbage cess, the Deputy Chief Minister blamed the BJP for bringing the legislation, and said the Congress government was making a downward revision of the cess imposed by the BJP government in 2022.
He challenged Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy, who has condemned the milk price hike, to ask his brother H.D. Revanna, in his capacity as Hassan Milk Union president, to reduce the price of milk.
‘BJP is primary source’
Meanwhile, Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister Priyank Kharge blamed the BJP as the “primary source” of the price rise, and said the basis of the price hike was Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s economic policy.
“If the BJP is willing to protest against the primary source of price rise, we will also extend our support. Did the BJP not see public anger when the GST was imposed on popcorn, children’s books and pencils, 18% GST on life insurance and when MSMEs closed due to GST?” The BJP-led government should reduce the price of diesel and petrol and pass on the benefits of lower price of crude oil to people, he said, on social media platform X, and pointed out that income disparity in the country, unemployment, poverty and short-sighted policy of government had also been flagged by the RSS.
Published – April 02, 2025 08:36 pm IST