Bengaluru, Nov 2 (PTI) The BJP women’s wing on Monday staged a protest at Freedom Park here against the hike in milk prices by the Congress government in Karnataka, demanding an immediate rollback of the increase.
As the protesters tried to take out a march carrying placards and milk cans and shouting slogans against the Congress government and Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje and other leaders were detained, and whisked away by police in buses.
Addressing the protesters, Union Karandlaje urged the Congress government to either step down before a public uprising or roll back the prices it had increased and ensure justice for farmers.
“Before an uprising takes place in the state, the Congress should relinquish power and quit. Otherwise, reduce all the prices you have increased and provide justice to our farmers,” she said.
Criticising the state government’s performance, Karandlaje alleged that its administration had deteriorated over the last three to four months and reached “zero” level.
Questioning the government’s contribution to the people on the occasion of Kannada Rajyotsava, she said the rising cost of essential commodities had made life difficult for ordinary people.
“Do not judge the living standards of the people of the state based on your own status. You may be able to afford the increased price of milk, but what about those who work in hotels for meagre salaries, drive taxis and auto rickshaws, or run roadside businesses?” she asked.
The Karnataka Cabinet on Thursday decided to hike Nandini brand milk prices by Rs 8 per litre, out of this Rs 7 would go to farmers and Rs 1 to the cooperatives (Karnataka Milk Federation). The price hike has come into effect from November 1.
Subsequently KMF has increased the price of curd by Rs 14 a litre and that of a few varieties of special and toned milk by as much as Rs 12.
Karandlaje alleged that farmers in the state, which was facing severe drought due to inadequate rainfall, were receiving inadequate compensation from the government.
“The government is giving farmers Rs 2,500 per acre, as if it were charity,” she alleged.
According to her, the previous BJP government led by B S Yediyurappa had provided an additional Rs 4,000 to farmers under the Kisan Samman scheme, along with the assistance from the Centre.
The Congress government discontinued the state government’s contribution after coming to power. The present government had imposed 17 to 18 rules and conditions for farmers to receive the Rs 2,500 drought relief.
The Union Minister further alleged that the Congress government’s guarantee schemes were not reaching beneficiaries properly.
“Rs 5,000 crore under the Gruha Lakshmi scheme has gone missing, and the government has not provided an account of it till date,” she alleged.
Taking a dig at the government’s free bus travel guarantee, she claimed that several government buses had stopped operating due to a shortage of funds for repairs and diesel.
“There is no money to repair government buses in the KSRTC and other transport corporations, nor is there money to buy diesel. This is the condition of your government,” she said.
Former MLC Bharathi Shetty, who also addressed the gathering, demanded that the state government immediately withdraw the hike in milk prices.
The previous BJP government under Yediyurappa had provided incentives to milk through the state exchequer. The Congress government should honour its manifesto commitment to provide incentives instead of burdening consumers with what she termed a “shock treatment”, she said.
Shetty said the BJP Mahila Morcha was organising protests against the price hike across the state, including in every district, mandal and ward.
Alleging repeated increases in milk prices, she said the government had raised the price by Rs 4 per litre on one occasion, followed by increases of Rs 3 and Rs 2, and had now announced another hike of Rs 8.
“While the government claims the latest increase is Rs 8, the total increase works out to Rs 12 per litre,” she said. PTI KSU ROH
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