Mysore/Mysuru: Strongly defending the recent hike in petrol and diesel prices by the State Government, Congress Spokesperson M. Lakshmana said that the price hike was a corrective measure and that the Opposition BJP and JD(S) were spreading lies about the hike.

Addressing a press meet at Congress Bhavan near the City Railway Station here yesterday, Lakshmana, who unsuccessfully contested as the Congress candidate from Mysuru-Kodagu Constituency  in the recently held 2024 Lok Sabha polls, asserted that the fuel price hike is not an increase but a corrective measure for the mistake of the previous BJP Government led by Basavaraj Bommai.

Contending that the hike was reasonable, he alleged that the BJP had reduced fuel prices three years ago which was politically motivated and economically flawed and as a result the State exchequer suffered a loss of over Rs.15,000 crore.

Maintaining that the present hike is nominal, he said it is an attempt to bridge the deficit caused by the move of the previous BJP Government.

“It is ridiculous to suggest that the hike was effected to raise resources for funding the Congress Government’s Guarantee Schemes. The five Guarantee Schemes cost around Rs. 60,000 crore annually for which budgetary allocation has been made, whereas the hike in fuel prices will fetch only a fraction of that amount. Hence, the Opposition’s argument is devoid of merit,” he said adding that the Congress would launch a counter-protest demanding that the Union Government slash the excise duty.

City Congress President R.Murthy, former ZP President B.M. Ramu, Congress leaders Bhaskar, Raja Rajendra and others were present at the press meet.