Mysore/Mysuru: In a bid to show the Governments at the Centre and the State that petrol could be sold at Rs. 25 per litre, former CM Siddharamaiah, who condemned the high fuel prices, launched a protest organised by former MLA M.K. Somashekar at Chikkamma Nikethana Kalyan Mantap in city yesterday. 

He symbolically sold petrol at Rs. 25 per litre at the nearby Petrol Bunk, owned by Somashekar. About 100 people were issued tokens at the Kalyan Mantap, which they could utilise to purchase petrol at Rs. 25 per litre at the Petrol Bunk of the former MLA.

Speaking to press persons, Siddharamaiah said that during Dr. Manmohan Singh’s Government at the Centre, the prices of crude oil was between $120 and $130 per barrel and added that the prices of crude oil now is between $38 and $39. At the present price, petrol could be sold at Rs. 25 per litre but it is sold at Rs. 79 per litre and diesel is being sold at Rs. 71 per litre.

Stating that the present price of petrol is Rs. 18.60 per litre, Siddharamaiah accused the Government of imposing high tax which was actually burdening the poor and the middle class, who are already suffering from financial problems due to COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown.

Siddharamaiah said that the Government should not focus on making huge profit in this present situation as many have become jobless facing financial problems. Accusing the Government of creating a chaos-like situation, he said that the Government should now focus on building confidence among the people and create job opportunities to the jobless.

Former MLA M.K. Somashekar, former MP R. Dhruvanarayan, City Congress President R. Murthy, District President Dr. B.J. Vijaykumar, former Mayor Pushpalatha Chikkanna and others were present.