From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network

Bengaluru, Jun 5: Lambasting the BJP rule at the Centre and in the State, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) President D K Shivakumar said 43 hikes in Petrol prices since January this year shows the incompetence of the government on economical and administrative fronts.

“Today, price of petrol has breached Rs 100 in many parts of the country. The price of edible oil has also surpassed Rs 220 per litre. Only 3.17% of the Indians have got vaccinated in 5 months. These are glaring examples of the failure of this government on economical and administrative front,” Shivakumar said at Kutagal Hobli village of Ramanagra district on Saturday.

The KPCC chief was on a day’s visit to Ramanagara to distribute food kits and reach-out to people affected by the pandemic.

“The Congress is giving free vaccination to people going beyond castes and religions. I kicked off a campaign to vaccinate 3 lakh people yesterday. On the other hand, BJP MP Tejasvi Surya is demanding Rs 900 rupees per shot. This reflects BJP government’s apathy towards the public,” Shivakumar said.

Asserting his party is firm with its Rs 100 crore plan to vaccinate the people in the entire State if BJP government permits them to procure and carry out the vaccination drive.

Shivakumar pointed out that BJP hiked petrol prices 10 times in January, 16 times in February, 16 times in May and once in the first week of June.

“They are determined to make petrol unaffordable for common man. Let us all visit petrol pumps and pay floral tributes to pump machines to mark our protest,” KPCC chief said.

The KPCC chief said BJP did not raise the fuel prices in months of March and April as five States went to polls in that time span.

Appreciating the Congress workers, KPCC President said that party workers and office-bearers are working overtime to help people at the time of pandemic.

Former Minister and senior Congress leader Shamanur Shivashankarappa kicked off a vaccination drive in his constituency at Davanagere on Friday. The Congress party has planned to expand the vaccination drive in other parts of the state in month of June.

The KPCC chief accused the BJP of doing great disservice to the country by exporting over 6.6 crore vaccines. He said the government compromised with the health and lives of its own people and thereby increased the mortality rate in the country.

Several Congress leaders including Bengaluru Rural MP D K Suresh, MLCs C M Lingappa, S Ravi and others participated in the programme in Ramanagara district, while KPCC Working President B Ramalinga Reddy, Saleem Ahmed, former minister H M Revanna and other leaders took part in the food kits distribution programme at Kamashipalya of Govindarajanagara assembly constituency in the city.