Mangaluru (PTI): The anti-toll gate action committee, which spearheaded the successful agitation against the toll gate at Surathkal here, has asked voters in the districts of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi to defeat the BJP in the ensuing Assembly elections for imposing hefty hike in toll charges on highways.

In a statement here, the committee convenor Muneer Katipalla strongly criticised the Union government's decision to increase highway toll charges by 25 per cent with effect from April 1.

Katipalla said the hike in toll charges has burdened the people who are already affected by price rise and increased cost of living. Toll charges have now been increased at the four toll plazas in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts, he said.

The common people should show their political will to teach the BJP a lesson in the coming elections and force all political parties not to act to benefit of corporates, he said.

While Dakshina Kannada has two toll gates at Talapady on the National Highway border with Kerala and Brahmarakootlu on the Mangaluru-Bengaluru NH 75. Udupi has two toll plazas at Hejmady and Sasthana, both on NH 66.

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Mysuru (Karnataka), Nov 13: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday said there was a demand for four per cent reservation for Muslims in government tenders, but no decision has been taken yet on it.

Prominent Muslim leaders, including Karnataka Minister for Municipal Administration and Hajj, Rahim Khan, Congress MLAs and MLCs wrote to the chief minister on August 24 demanding to consider giving four per cent reservation to socially and economically backward Muslims in government contracts. The chief minister wrote on the petition on August 31 that the file should be put up, sources said.

"There was a demand for four per cent reservation, but we have not taken any decision yet," Siddaramaiah told reporters here.

When asked about the BJP raking up this issue, he said, "The BJP wants to communalise everything. Their job is to create a rift between Hindus and Muslims. Did they ever wish peace in society?"

BJP state president B Y Vijayendra termed the purported move unhealthy.

"In a bid to woo the Muslim community, the @INCKarnataka government is going to give reservation in contracts as well, which will damage the health of a harmonious society," he said in a post on ‘X’.

He said it had become inevitable to protest against such stances of the Congress government.

Former Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar alleged in his post on social media 'X' saying what seemed like "shameless appeasement politics" to be a "cover for Congress corruption machine".