Zameer Ahmed blames Union government for petrol price hike in Karnataka
Bengaluru: Zameer Ahmed Khan, Minister for Housing and Minority Welfare, stated that the BJP-led NDA government was responsible for the price hike in petrol and diesel in the state. He was addressing the media in Bengaluru on Monday.
Addressing reporters, Khan said that the central government charged Rs 32.98 per liter of petrol and Rs 31.83 per liter of diesel as excise duty. He criticized BJP leaders for not raising their voices about this issue.
He highlighted that during the UPA government, excise duties on petrol and diesel were significantly lower, at Rs 9.48 and Rs 3.56 per liter, respectively. At that time, petrol was priced at Rs 68.31 per liter and diesel at Rs 48.63 per liter. Under the current BJP government, petrol prices have surged to Rs 106 per liter, despite a decrease in crude oil prices from Rs 97.68 per barrel during the UPA era to Rs 77.64 per barrel now.
Khan questioned why petrol and diesel prices have not decreased despite the lower crude oil prices. He also pointed out that during the tenure of the Basavaraj Bommai government in Karnataka, petrol prices crossed Rs 100 per liter, and cooking gas prices soared from Rs 419 to Rs 903.
Questioning the BJP leaders' silence on the price hikes by the Union government, Zameer Ahmed challenged them to come to an open discussion on the issue.
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SP MPs demand discussion on Sambhal in Parliament, SC-monitored probe
New Delhi (PTI): Samajwadi Party (SP) leaders on Wednesday said they want to discuss the Sambhal issue in Parliament and demanded that any probe into the incidents that led to violence in the Uttar Pradesh town should be conducted under the Supreme Court's monitoring.
"We want a discussion on the incident that happened in Sambhal. Many of our MPs have issued notices to the speaker regarding this. We want to speak on the floor of the House about the inhuman behaviour of police and the administration against people," SP MP Dimple Yadav said.
Four people died and scores, including police personnel, were injured in Sambhal on Sunday after a confrontation erupted over a court-ordered survey of the city's Shahi Jama Masjid in the Kot Garvi area, following a petition claiming that a Harihar temple once stood at the site.
SP MP from Sambhal Zia ur Rahman, who has been named in an FIR for allegedly inciting a mob, claimed that he was not present at the site when the incident took place, and slammed police and the administration for opening fire on citizens.
Asked about him being named in the FIR, Rahman said, "They (BJP) are in power, they can do anything. I was not even present there. I was in Bengaluru and I am being blamed for the riots."
"I am more worried about those killed by police and those who are being tortured. I am more worried about those who are being dragged into this," he said.
"One person fell down after getting hit by a baton and then they fired on him. They are citizens of India, not enemies. This is not a Hindu-Muslim fight. Some anti-social elements were behind it and the rest was done by police and the administration," he said.
Rahman said Prime Minister Narendra Modi should visit Sambhal.
"The prime minister should come forward and go and see the situation. Do not make Sambhal another Manipur," he said.
Rahman blamed the administration for the incidents and demanded a probe monitored by the Supreme Court.
"This was pre-planned by police. They wanted to trigger riots on the first day but I was there, so they did not succeed. Today, INDIA bloc MPs have raised the demand to hold discussions on this issue in the Lok Sabha and a proper investigation monitored by the Supreme Court should be conducted," he said.
SP MP Dharmendra Yadav said people do not have faith in the probe being carried out by the administration.
"The probe into the Sambhal incident should be conducted under the monitoring of a Supreme Court judge, because no one trusts the administration anymore. The administration was behind the whole incident," he said.
Yadav alleged that the violence was orchestrated to divert attention from the malpractices during the recent bypolls in Uttar Pradesh.
"They have done this to distract attention from the malpractices during the bypolls. A petition was filed a day before the polls, the decision taken on the same day, a delegation appointed and even the survey was carried out.
"They said the survey had been completed. Then why did a team visit the place again to conduct another survey? The administration should answer these questions," he said, adding that the SP will continue its struggle for justice.
A magisterial probe into the Sambhal violence is ongoing.
