Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) spokesperson M. Lakshman on Wednesday questioned the Janakrosha Yatre organised by the BJP against the price rise under the Congress government. He pointed out that the hikes have occurred in the country during the BJP regime at the Centre since 2014.
Addressing a press conference in Mysuru, Mr. Lakshman said the prices of more than 143 items had increased several-fold since 2014, when the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government headed by then-Prime Minister Manmohan Singh demitted office.
The KPCC spokesperson sought to draw a comparison between the present-day fuel price and the prevailing prices during March 2014. At presentthe price of petrol is around ₹103 a litre and diesel around ₹91 a litre, but in 2014 the then government headed by Dr. Manmohan Singh gave petrol at ₹71 a litre and diesel at ₹55 a litre.
Similarly, the prices of gold, cement, steel, cooking oil, blood test, and a host of other items had increased multiple times since 2014 after the BJP government came to power, he said.
Criticising the Waqf Amendment Bill brought in by the Centre recently, Mr. Lakshman questioned the provisions of the Bill to nominate non-Muslims to the Waqf Board and wondered if it would be fair to nominate Muslims or Christians to Chamundeshwari Temple Development Authority or Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) committee on the same lines.
He alleged that the BJP was trying to make Muslims second-class citizens in the country. He criticised TDP leader Chandrababu Naidu and Janata Dal (U) leader Nitish Kumar for extending support to the BJP-led government’s Waqf amendment Bill. After targeting Waqf property, Mr. Lakshman said the BJP will focus on the property belonging to Christians in the country.
Suicide
Reacting to the suicide of BJP worker Vinay Somaiah, Mr. Lakshman said the ongoing inquiry into the issue will uncover the truth relating to the WhatsApp message sent by him.
The KPCC spokesperson claimed that the messages sent by the deceased to his wife and friend before his death did not name anybody. He alleged that the WhatsApp message bearing the names of Congress leaders had been sent from the BJP worker’s mobile six hours after his death.
Mr. Lakshman urged the authorities to conduct a detailed probe to ascertain the circumstances behind his death.
Published - April 10, 2025 12:23 am IST
