Karnataka Congress leaders criticize hike in petrol and diesel prices

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Deputy Chief Minister and KPCC President DK Shivakumar, AICC General Secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala at a joint media conference at the KPCC office on Queen’s Road on Monday. | Photo credit: Special arrangement

As the BJP-led Union government implemented the fourth hike in petrol and diesel prices in less than two weeks, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah was among Congress leaders who on Monday withdrew the decision. The Congress is likely to hold protests across the state against the hike in petrol and diesel prices.

After the fourth round of hike, the price of petrol and diesel in Bengaluru is ₹ 110.93 and ₹ 98.89 respectively. The total increase is ₹ 7.52 for petrol and diesel.

Accusing the Union government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi of “looting” the people since he came to power, Mr Siddaramaiah told reporters: “Never in the history of the country have the prices of petroleum products increased like this. The life of the middle class and common people has become difficult and people are facing problems due to the rise in prices.”

He said the consumer did not benefit when the price of oil was lower in the international market.

Accusing the Center of imposing financial burden on people, Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar said, “The Congress government is reducing the financial burden through guarantee schemes. Imagine what would happen if there were no guarantee schemes. The Center collects about ₹1,000 crore daily from petroleum products.”

The BJP leader — R. Ashoka, Leader of the Opposition, and BJP president BY Vijayendra — called it “shameless” for asking the state to cut fuel taxes instead of the Centre. He said that protest would be organized in every assembly constituency.

Congress general secretary in charge of Karnataka, Randeep Singh Surjewala, said the Center is now dipping into the RBI’s emergency reserve fund and has taken ₹2.87 crore. In the last 12 years, the Narendra Modi-led government had taken ₹14 lakh crore from the RBI, he added. He described the way petrol and diesel taxes were collected over the past 12 years as “organized robbery”.

Published – 25 May 2026 19:06 IST