'Congress's Guarantees Come At Additional Costs': BJP Takes 'Khata-Khat' Jibe As Karnataka Govt Hikes Fuel Price

Union minister of petroleum and natural gas Hardeep Singh Puri took a jibe at the Congress saying "Khata-Khat badh gyi mehengai" [Inflation has increased exponentially].

Union minister of petroleum and natural gas Hardeep Singh Puri took a jibe at the Congress saying "Khata-Khat badh gyi mehengai" [Inflation has increased exponentially].

Source : PTI

A controversy erupted after the Karnataka government announced its decision of hiking fuel prices in the state. The petrol prices were hiked by Rs 3 per litre and the diesel prices were hiked by Rs 3.02 per litre. This garnered reactions from the Bharatiya Janata Party, which took a jibe at the Congress saying that its "guarantees come at an additional cost".  

Union minister of petroleum and natural gas Hardeep Singh Puri took a jibe at the Congress saying "Khata-Khat badh gyi mehengai" [Inflation has increased exponentially].

Training guns at the grand old party, Puri said that after failing to fulfill the promises it made of transferring Rs 8500 every month to a woman of each family, the "Congress-ruled Karnataka government has saddled the people of Karnataka with the burden of paying Rs 3/litre more for petrol and diesel in the state."

𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬’ 𝐠𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐝𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐜𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐬! pic.twitter.com/z1IajHihVs

— BJP (@BJP4India) June 16, 2024

The Union Minister wrote on X: "After this decision, people of Karnataka would be forced to pay higher amounts for food items, clothing, medicines and all items of basic necessities as fuel prices directly impact prices of all goods. Such a decision just after elections have been concluded, exposes the hypocrisy of the Congress which talks about mehengai but levies approximately Rs 8litre-Rs 12/litre additional VAT in comparison with BJP ruled states."

Khata-Khat badh gayi mehengai!

After not fulfilling the promises of transferring Rs 8500/month to a woman of each family, Congress ruled Karnataka government has saddled the people of Karnataka with the burden of paying Rs 3/litre more for petrol and diesel in the state.… pic.twitter.com/2SOjEA6L9k

— Hardeep Singh Puri (@HardeepSPuri) June 16, 2024

'Fuel In Karnataka More Expensive Than UP, Gujarat, Arunachal'

The BJP leader stated that post this hike, the fuel prices in Karnataka are now Rs 8.21/litre more expensive than the prices in Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat, the states that are run by the BJP government.

Puri further compared the fuel prices of Karnataka to that of Arunachal Pradesh and said: "The price gap is even more staggering if Karnataka is compared with BJP-governed Arunachal Pradesh where the party has come back to power strongly. The petrol prices in Karnataka are over Rs 12/litre higher than in Arunachal. The price gap for diesel is Rs 8.59/litre between the two states with Arunachal being much less expensive."

PM Modi Ensured Prices Went Down Even As World Faced Price Surges

Puri further wrote that the Modi-led government made substantial and timely cuts in excise duty in November 2021 in order to maintain availability and affordability of transport fuels. Thereafter, he followed it up with another cut in May 2022, he said. 

The BJP leader, while lauding PM Modi's leadership said that he ensured the fuel prices in India went down even though the world was facing price surges due to war in Europe.

"During the last three years of global energy turmoil, the NDA government led by PM Narendra Modi Ji deftly diversified India’s crude oil purchases to ensure that petrol prices actually decreased by about 14% and diesel prices fell by nearly 11% during November 2021 -May 2024 period. During the same period, US saw petrol prices soar 29%, while neighbours Pakistan and Sri Lanka faced severe financial stress due to spike in global crude prices," the petroleum minister said while drawing comparisons between India's fuel prices and the US, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan, since November 2021 till May 2024.

"The Central govt reduced petrol and diesel prices by ₹5 per litre and ₹10 per litre, respectively, in November 2021. Following up in May 2022, petrol and diesel prices were further cut by ₹8 per litre and ₹6 per litre, respectively.  Again on March 14 this year, the OMCs played a vital role in reducing prices further by Rs 2/litre," the BJP leader said, elaborating on the price reductions done by BJP-led government.

Karnataka CM stood firm on the decision to increase fuel prices, stressing that the hike would in turn fund the development projects and essential public services in the state.