With a four to five percent hike in the state's sales tax, the petrol and diesel prices in Karnataka on Saturday were increased by Rs 3 and Rs 3.02, respectively. As per reports, the Karnataka Sales Tax (KST) today has been increased from 25.92 percent to 29.84 percent on petrol and from 14.3 percent to 18.4 percent on diesel, according to the government notification.
According to the state finance department's notification, the price hike would come into effect immediately.
Protesting against the increased sales tax, the Karnataka BJP leaders on Saturday strongly criticised the fuel price hike while seeking an immediate rollback of the decision. Karnataka BJP chief BY Vijayendra said that the party will launch a statewide protest if the price hike is not withdrawn.
"We will stage protests across the state in all district centres and other places on Monday if the Chief Minister and the government do not take back the decision of price hike of petrol and diesel. I demand them to roll back the fuel price hike decision," Vijayendra said.
BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla alleged "The true face of the Congress party has been exposed."
"The Congress party says that there is inflation in the country, and then the Congress party and its own state governments raise petrol and diesel prices. In Karnataka, they have passed an anti-farmer, anti-common man order, a fatwa, a jizyah tax, and they have increased petrol and diesel prices by Rs 3 and Rs 3.05," he said.
