Union Minister takes 'khata-khat' jibe at ‘yuva neta’ over fuel price hike in Karnataka

New Delhi, June 17 (IANS) Union Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Monday took potshots at the Karnataka government for hiking the prices of petrol and diesel while highlighting that such ‘haphazard’ decisions affect many other accessory sectors besides adding to inflationary pressures.

Speaking exclusively with IANS, the Union Minister said the Congress government’s decision to raise fuel prices was driven by its poll promises of freebies and free guarantees, adding that such policy decisions are not only impractical but also untenable.

'खटा-खटा' से कांग्रेस का 'झूठम-झूठ' !

Karnataka CM's claims are baseless. During UPA's 2004-14 tenure, petrol prices in India surged by 84% and diesel by 111%. Under NDA from 2014-24, petrol prices rose only 26% and diesel 43%. The Congress government's oil bonds burdened our… pic.twitter.com/Bdjo6Ub5AA

— Hardeep Singh Puri (@HardeepSPuri) June 17, 2024

“Congress promised a lot of free guarantees, including Rs 1 lakh yearly allowance to poor families. If there are 32 lakh families, it will need an aggregate sum of Rs 32 lakh crore to fulfil its promise. I don’t know who gave them such advice, but such aberrant policy decisions take a toll on inflation and subsequently on the economy,” Hardeep Puri told IANS.

He also took a jibe at Congress' ‘yuva neta’ and said that he once boasted about it and the party-ruled state went on to roll it out.

He also said that their series of lies has been exposed.

Notably, the Siddaramaiah government in Karnataka raised petrol and diesel prices on Saturday, by Rs 3 and Rs 3.50 per litre, respectively.

The Union Minister also said that the increased fuel prices impact transportation costs which eventually reflects in prices of consumables and food products.

“Such steps also spoil the good works of the Central government,” he added.

The Minister also compared the fuel prices in Karnataka with those in BJP-ruled states and claimed that they were much lower in the latter.

“Fuel prices in Karnataka are at least Rs 8-12 higher than the BJP-ruled states. Petrol in Karnataka is Rs 8.21/litre more expensive than UP and Gujarat. The price gap is even more staggering in Arunachal Pradesh, where the BJP made a comeback with a huge win. Petrol is Rs 12/litre higher and diesel is Rs 8.59/litre higher in Karnataka, as compared to Arunachal,” the Union Minister pointed out.

He also said that in the past three years, the NDA government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi diversified India’s crude oil purchases to ensure that petrol prices decreased by about 14 per cent and diesel by about 11 per cent.

The Central government reduced petrol and diesel prices by Rs 5 and Rs 10 per litre, respectively, in November 2021. Again in May 2022, petrol and diesel prices were slashed by Rs 8 and Rs 6 per litre, respectively.