Bengaluru/New Delhi, 30 September (IANS) Union Minister for Central Food, Public Distribution and Consumer Affairs, Pralhad Joshi on Tuesday accused the Karnataka government led by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah of resorting to “daylight robbery”.
Speaking to the media in New Delhi on Tuesday, Union Minister Joshi said, “This is a climax of misunderstanding. The common people who believe in the promises of the government and the people who voted in power are now caught in financial difficulty.”
Union Minister Joshi said that while Prime Minister Narendra Modi has taken steps to reduce the Goods and Services Tax (GST) and to reduce the prices of various goods, the Karnataka government was constantly opposite to rising prices.
“Prime Minister Narendra Modi reduced GST to support the economic upliftment of common citizens. As a result, essential goods are now available at affordable prices. But here in Karnataka, the Congress government is pushing people to the streets through tireless prices,” Joshi said.
Joshi further criticized the government in Karnataka, stating that by increasing the fares of the bus during the Dussehra festival, it has effectively imposed a ‘Mahishasura tax’ on the passengers coming between Bangalore and the Masuru of the historic city, where the Dashushra festival is traditionally celebrated by the state government.
Union Minister Joshi alleged that the government has turned into a ‘Mahishasura’ for the people of the state, due to the arrival of Bangalore -Mesuru Marg. According to mythology, Mahishasura was a demon king, who was killed by Goddess Chamundeshwari.
Union Minister Joshi said more to the state government, “Already, the prices of more than 48 essential commodities have increased. Now, before the start of Dussehra, the government has increased the bus fare on this major route by Rs 20-30, making the common man cumbersome.”
Earlier, defending the fare hike, the Transport Department clarified that this special fare collection has been in behavior during the Dussehra and other holidays for the last 20 years and the increase was only on the Bengaluru-Mysuru route as special services work on one-way traffic and often return with empty or nearby buses.
It states that operational costs for special services are high due to vehicles deployed from other divisions. It said that this increase helps in covering additional operational costs and ensures smooth management of the festival traffic.
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MKA/Work