‘End the yatra and go home’: Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah mocks BJP's 'Janakrosha' protest

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday launched a scathing attack on the BJP’s ongoing ‘Janakrosha Yatre’, calling it a “farce” in light of the central government’s recent hike in cooking gas and fuel prices.

The Janakrosha Yatre, a 16-day state-wide protest by the Karnataka BJP, targets the Congress government over issues like price hikes, reservation for Muslims in government contracts, and alleged fund diversion meant for SC/ST sub-plans.

(Also Read: ‘Senior leaders should know better’: Karnataka HC on Yediyurappa’s bail plea in POCSO case)

Reacting to the protest, Siddaramaiah questioned the BJP’s silence on the Centre’s decision to increase the prices of petroleum products, despite a drop in global crude oil rates.

“Now I want to know the reaction of the BJP leaders in the state. They should explain to the people why the Central Government is continuously increasing the prices of petrol and diesel even though crude oil prices are falling in the international market,” he said.

In a strongly worded post on X, the chief minister said, “Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself has smeared ink on the faces of BJP leaders who are trying to put the burden of the sin of price hike on our heads.”

Calling the BJP’s protest “a farce”, Siddaramaiah added, “Those who have embarked on the Janakrosha Yatra now have only two options: either put pressure on the Prime Minister to reduce prices or end the Yatra and return home. If they continue with this drama, they will definitely face public anger.”

The Centre on Monday increased the price of LPG cylinders by ₹50 and hiked the excise duty on petrol and diesel by ₹2 per litre, although retail prices remain unchanged for now.

Meanwhile, the Karnataka Congress has announced a protest at Bengaluru’s Freedom Park in opposition to the fuel price hikes, aiming to highlight what they term as the Centre’s anti-people policies.

(Also Read: Tejasvi Surya slams DK Shivakumar’s ‘fanfare’ during Bengaluru pothole repair launch)