Karnataka Fuel Price Hike: BJP Leader M B Bhanuprakash Dies of Cardiac Arrest During Protest

69-year-old BJP leader and former MLC M B Bhanuprakash died of cardiac arrest while staging a protest against the Congress government over the rise in prices of petrol and diesel at Seenappa Setty Circle in Shivamogga this morning.  Bhanuprakash addressed the workers as part of the agitation. He collapsed while boarding a car and was taken to the private hospital immediately where doctors declared that he was brought dead. The last rites of the BJP leader are slated to be held at Mattur village in Shivamogga taluk in the evening.Bhanuprakash had served in various positions in BJP including state vice-president, district unit president. He was the Brahmin face in Karnataka BJP and had a good rapport with former chief minister B S Yediyurappa.

 Today BJP has called for a statewide protest against the hike in fuel prices. The Karnataka government on Saturday hiked sales tax on fuel, which will make petrol and diesel costlier. Petrol prices have gone up by Rs 3 per litre and diesel by Rs 3.5 per litre. The agitation took place at all the district headquarters of the state.In Bengaluru, BJP state president B Y Vijayendra led the agitation. He said the protest has been organized against the anti-people stand of the Congress government in Karnataka. BJP leaders were seen on bullock cart and showed their resentment against the ruling government's move.Former CM BS Yediyurappa said that the people of Karnataka are facing so many problems already. Now they are suffering from the price rise. The price rise is a crime. The government should take back its decision of fuel prices hike.

CM Siddaramaiah defended the decision and said that despite raising the tax on petrol to 29.84% and diesel to 18.44%, the fuel prices in the state continue to remain the lowest in the entire south and more affordable compared with BJP-governed Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh. He said, “We remain firm in our commitment to maintaining reasonable fuel prices for people.” The CM blamed the BJP for reducing tax on petrol and diesel at the state level while increasing central taxes during the party’s double-engine government regime from 2019 to 2023. This calculated move diminished revenue for the state while the central government received more for its assets. He said that the excise duty on petrol and diesel reached to Rs. 32.98 and Rs. 31.83 respectively in May 2020 during the BJP government’s tenure. But the current central excise duty is Rs. 19.9 on petrol and Rs. 15.8 on diesel, Siddaramaiah added.

Siddaramaiah requested the central government to reduce these taxes for the benefit of the people.As the Karnataka government announced and effected a Rs. 3 hike in fuel prices the opposition parties declared a statewide protest today. The BJP-JD(S) alliance called it a revengeful move against the people of Karnataka for not supporting the Congress in the recently held LS polls. The opposition parties blamed the move as the Siddaramaiah’s government mismanagement of finances due to the guarantee schemes. Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy said that it will impact the state’s finances and eventually, will lead to inflation. They said that from food to travel everything will be impacted.Forest and Environment Minister Eshwar Khandre has justified the hike saying the government has earmarked Rs. 52000 crore for guarantee schemes and revenue from the tax hike would be utilized for the welfare of the poor. He further said that the fuel price in Karnataka is still lower compared to that in Telangana, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, and Maharashtra.