‘BJP exploiting poor’: Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda during Congress protest

BENGALURU: The Karnataka Congress staged a protest against the central government at Freedom Park on Thursday, condemning the BJP’s policies of ‘exploiting’ the poor while enriching the wealthy. Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda criticised the government’s handling of essential commodities, alleging that rising prices and increased taxes are draining the common people while benefiting the rich.

Byre Gowda accused the BJP government of favouring the rich, especially business tycoons like Ambani and Adani, allowing them to accumulate vast wealth while ordinary citizens’ hard work is exploited to benefit the elites.”The exploitation of the people began when the BJP came to power. The party has raised the prices of diesel, petrol, and gas, with essential goods and services such as oil, cement, and crops seeing price hikes of up to 100 per cent”, Krishna Byre Gowda stated.

He pointed out that the Congress government had previously taxed just Rs 3.40, while the BJP had now imposed a Rs 25 cess. The price of a gas cylinder, which used to cost Rs400, had surged to Rs1,000 under the current regime, he added. The Congress leader expressed outrage at the increasing financial burden on common people, labeling the situation as akin to “sucking the blood of the people.”

Krishna Byre Gowda further criticised the government for reducing taxes for the rich while raising taxes on the poor. He highlighted the decrease in the income tax rate for the wealthy, from 40 per cent to 20 per cent, while taxes on everyday citizens have only gone up.

#WATCH | Karnataka | Police detain the Congress workers protesting against the ED chargesheet against Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and others in the National Herald case in Bengaluru pic.twitter.com/lFWGJhhrKo

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Congress leader Saleem Ahmed led the protest in Bengaluru, denouncing the central government’s recent hike in petrol and LPG prices.

Earlier, Union Minister and JD(S) state president HD Kumaraswamy accused the Karnataka state government of “burdening the common man” through excessive taxation. “For the last two years, the state government has been burdening the common man by imposing taxes in many sectors. That is why we are protesting and demanding that relief be given to the people,” Kumaraswamy said while addressing the media.

Responding to the Congress party’s criticism of the central government over rising fuel and LPG prices, Kumaraswamy defended the Centre’s position. “Congress is criticising the central government over the prices of petrol and LPG gas. The increase in the prices of petrol and diesel will not affect the common man. The companies are bearing the burden,” he said.

He also compared the current rates with those during the UPA government. “In the UPA government, the LPG gas cylinder was Rs 1,240, but now, even after increasing it by Rs 50, it is Rs 850,” he added. (ANI)