Bengaluru : Karnataka Congress in-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala on Monday launched a sharp attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over the latest fuel price hike, alleging "massive loot" of the common man and accusing the government of repeatedly increasing petrol and diesel prices despite a fall in global crude oil rates.
Surjewala began his address by playing an old video clip of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in which he is seen criticising rising fuel prices during the previous UPA government and promising relief from inflation.
Reacting to the fresh fuel price revision, Surjewala said the burden on citizens had increased significantly in a short span of time.
"Today, as we got up in the morning, we were increased by Rs 2.71 a litre. The second news was that the price of crude oil has gone down drastically, from USD 100 a barrel to USD 98.6 a barrel," he said.
He further said that petrol prices in Bengaluru had crossed Rs 110 per litre for the first time in decades.
"These are the two lines that attracted the attention of my Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister, as also every single brother and sister of Karnataka, every single Kannadiga and every single country. So, the petrol crosses Rs 110 for the first time in Bengaluru after 78 years of independence," Surjewala said.
He alleged that the BJP government had "looted" the public over the past 12 years through fuel pricing.
"There is a total of 57 lakh crore loot by the BJP in the last 12 years. Every day, fuel loot is pickpocketing the pockets of the common man, the common Kannadiga," he said.
Surjewala also claimed that the last 11 days had been particularly difficult for consumers due to repeated hikes.
"The last 11 days have been catastrophic on the pockets and budget of the salaried class, farmers, businessmen, homemakers, small businessmen and common persons. With the Union BJP government unleashing fuel loot by raising the price of petrol and diesel four times in 11 days and now raising it total by Rs 7.52 per litre in the last 11 days," he said.
He termed the price hikes "unpardonable" and blamed the Centre for burdening the public.
"This backbreaking, fleecing and defrauding of Kannadigas by the BJP is unpardonable," Surjewala said.
He also alleged that the additional burden extended beyond petrol and diesel to LPG, CNG and PNG prices, claiming it was pushing up the cost of daily essentials.
The remarks come amid a fresh round of fuel price hikes across the country, marking the fourth increase in less than two weeks amid volatility in global crude oil markets and geopolitical tensions in West Asia. Following the latest revision, petrol prices in Delhi crossed the Rs 100-mark, rising by Rs 2.61 to Rs 102.12 per litre, while diesel prices increased by Rs 2.71 to Rs 95.20 per litre.
The latest revision follows three earlier hikes on May 15, May 19 and May 23.
The sustained rise in fuel prices is being attributed to elevated global crude oil rates, currency fluctuations, and supply concerns linked to tensions in West Asia, particularly around the Strait of Hormuz, a key global oil shipping route.