BJP workers hold protests in Bengaluru over 15 per cent bus fare hike

BENGALURU: Leaders and workers of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) held protests in Bengaluru on Friday over the 15 per cent fare hike for the Karnataka State Road Transportation Corporation (KSRTC) buses.

Leader of Opposition in Karnataka Assembly R Ashoka slammed the Congress government over the hike and said that there was no money in the pocket of the Chief Minister Siddaramiah which is why he resorted to the hike.

#WATCH | Bengaluru: Karnataka assembly LoP R. Ashoka says, “… They’ve made bus travel free for women, but doubled it for men… Ramalinga Reddy said the petrol and diesel price rise is the reason for the hike… Every 2 years, there is a rise in petrol prices. During our… pic.twitter.com/4fsIPFbQBF

— ANI (@ANI) January 3, 2025

Speaking to the media, Ashoka said, “There has been a 15 per cent hike in the fare charges. This should not be done… there is no money in the pocket of Siddaramiah that is why they are doing this.. he is the worst CM in the history of Karnataka.. When I was the Transport Minister, KSRTC was in profit, but when Siddaramiah came there has been a loss for KSRTC… Siddaramiah will go to people and then apologize for the hike and make more hikes.”

#WATCH | Bengaluru: Karnataka assembly LoP R. Ashoka protests against the state government’s decision of a 15% hike in state-run bus fares, by giving away roses and apologising to people. pic.twitter.com/caqbJe8Xsl

— ANI (@ANI) January 3, 2025

“They’ve made bus travel free for women, but doubled it for men… Ramalinga Reddy said the petrol and diesel price rise is the reason for the hike… Every 2 years, there is a rise in petrol prices. During our government also there was a rise in petrol and diesel prices but we did not raise the bus fares… Siddaramaiah has no money in his pocket… Karnataka will soon become Himachal Pradesh… Siddaramaiah is the worst CM in the history of Karnataka… 15 per cent hike is too much, how will people pay… Private taxis are cheaper than KSRTC buses”, he added.

Meanwhile, Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy questioned BJP on why the BJP had increased the bus prices by 12 per cent when Yediyurappa was the CM. Reddy said “BJP is protesting under the leadership of Ashoka and other leaders… when Yediyurappa was the CM there was a hike of 12 per cent…Why did BJP increase the prices when they were in rule? When I became the Transport Minister, they left Rs 5,900 crore as a liability for us. Let them ask the Prime Minister to reduce the price of diesel.. then we can reduce the hike..”

#WATCH | Bengaluru: On state cabinet decision to increase the KSRTC bus fare by 15%, Karnataka Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy says, “… In December 2020, when BS Yediyurappa was the CM, there was a 12% hike in bus fares… Five years ago, we were spending Rs 9 crores every… pic.twitter.com/hpu2fQOEqw

— ANI (@ANI) January 3, 2025

Earlier today, BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla slammed the Siddaramaiah-led Karnataka government’s decision to hike bus fares, calling it the Congress party’s “khata khata loot model”. “This is the Khata Khat Loot model of the Congress party. Wherever Congress goes, loot, mahangaee (inflation), and barbadi (destruction) of the economy follow. Today, in Karnataka, after water, petrol, diesel, milk, and all kinds of prices have been increased, even the bus fare has been raised. They promised free bus rides”, Poonawalla said.

Law Minister H K Patil on Thursday announced that the state cabinet approved a 15 per cent increase in ticket prices for KSRTC buses. The increase in the ticket price will be effective from January 5, 2025. “This 15 pc has been raised because of the deficit that the corporation is currently facing. With this increase, there will be a return of Rs 74.84 crores every month”, Patil said. (ANI)