JD(S) leader H.D. Kumaraswamy hits out at Congress for its criticism over fuel price hike

Hitting out at the Congress party for criticising the Centre over the recent hike in prices of petrol and diesel, Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel H.D. Kumaraswamy brought up the issue of the Congress government in the State increasing the taxes on a number of items to mobilise funds for implementation of the five guarantee schemes.

Participating in a Janarondige Janata Dala convention in the Chamundeshwari Assembly Constituency here on Sunday (May 17), Mr. Kumaraswamy alleged that the Congress government had increased taxes on a number of items, including electricity, bus fares, liquor, and the registration fee for land transactions.

“On the one hand, the government is trying to mislead people by saying it is giving guarantees, while on the other hand, it is increasing prices even further. Let the Congress government release a list of how many times it has imposed taxes and raised prices,” he said.

He said the Centre was forced to increase the prices of petrol and diesel on account of the global rise in prices of crude oil owing to the war that the U.S. and Israel have been waging on Iran for the last 60 days. Despite the increase, he said petrol prices in India were much lower than Singapore, Hong Kong, Pakistan, and Bangladesh.

“If the Congress party had been in power during such a difficult situation, what would it have done?” Mr. Kumaraswamy asked.

He took a dig at the Sadhana Samavesha planned by the Congress party in Tumakuru on May 19, referring to the reported involvement of a large number of police officials in criminal activities during the Congress regime.

Mr. Kumaraswamy said a large number of helpless people gather outside his house everyday and he extends whatever help he can. “I am not helping distressed people for publicity. Congress leaders think people in the State are living peacefully because of the guarantees. That is wrong. If Congress leaders come near my house every day, they will understand the condition of the people,” he said.

The JD(S) leader, who trained his guns on the Congress government for the most part of his speech, expressed confidence that the JD(S) would win 75 seats in the next Assembly elections, when the people of the State will give their blessings for a coalition government. 

JD(S) youth wing leader Nikhil Kumaraswamy has already toured about 70 constituencies in the State to strengthen the JD(S), which is in an alliance with the BJP.

‘HDK for CM’

While Mr. Nikhil in his speech said people across the State are hoping for the return of Mr. Kumaraswamy’s “short-lived”, but “golden rule”, other JD(S) leaders openly called for the Union Minister’s return as the Chief Minister of Karnataka.

G.D. Harish Gowda, Hunsur MLA, and former Minister S.R. Mahesh openly rooted for Mr. Kumaraswamy’s return as “Chief Minister of Karnataka to head the coalition government in 2028”.

It may also be mentioned here that the Janarondige Janata Dala convention was held in the absence of senior JD(S) leader G.T. Deve Gowda, who represents the constituency in the Assembly.