Mangaluru, September 7: A protest campaign will be held under the leadership of MLC Ivan D’Souza against the fuel price hike.
Releasing the pamphlets on the campaign to be held in association with various organizations here on Friday, D’Souza said that an awareness jatha would be taken out from Urva market to other places in the city.
Urging the centre to bring petroleum products under GST, he said that the centre has failed to contain the price hike of fuel products and allowed the corporate companies to loot the country. Though the crude oil prices were reduced in the international market, the prices of petrol, diesel and gas have skyrocketed. During 2014, the crude oil price was 108.26 dollars per barrel and then the maximum petrol price was just Rs 65. Now, one barrel of crude oil would cost 63 dollars and the petrol price has gone up to Rs 81.63. The people have paid the tax for the last four years, but the centre has not divulged the information about its utilization. The gas cylinder price was gone from Rs 400 in 2014 to Rs 813 in 2018. After Modi became the Prime Minister, central excise tax was increased 12 times. According to statistics, the centre has been exporting petrol for 15 countries at Rs 34 per litre, and diesel for 27 countries at Rs 37 per litre. The centre should answer it, he demanded.
As part of the campaign, awareness programmes would be held in different places for two days. On September 8 at 4 pm, the programme would be held at Hampankatta in which 28 different organizations would participate. On September 10, a protest march would be taken from Hampankatta to the deputy commissioner’s office and would hold a convention, he said.
Awareness meetings
Today at 5 pm, the awareness meeting would be held at Urva Market, Urva Auto stand at 6 pm, Kudroli Jodupalli at 7 pm, Bandaru police station at 8 pm, Kandakpete at 8:30 pm.
On September 8 at 6 pm, railway station near Kudroli Circle, KMC Attavar at 7 pm, Mahakali Padpu at 8pm, Valencia Circle at 8.30 pm, Kankanady Maidan at 9 pm.
Leaders of various organizations Dayanand Kotian, Nagendra Kumar, advocate Dinakar Shetty, Punith Shetty and others were present.



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Bengaluru/Belagavi (PTI): Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Monday blamed the Centre for the maize growers' problems in the state.
Speaking to reporters on the Suvarna Vidhana Soudha premises in Bengaluru ahead of the Legislative session in Belagavi, he also took a dig at the BJP MPs for keeping mum on the issue.
"The Centre has to answer to the problems of North Karnataka. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and I have taken some strong decisions pertaining to maize procurement which will burden the state government financially, but the Centre has not spoken a word on the issue and the BJP MPs have not raised their voice. Aren't they concerned about it," Shivakumar asked.
The Deputy CM also hit out at the Haveri MP and former CM Basavaraj Bommai for not speaking on the matter.
"Bommai has said that the state government has to buy it, but what's Centre's share? Who decides the Minimum Support Price (MSP)? It's they (Centre) who decide MSP. They have not taken any decision yet," Shivakumar alleged.
He added that the state government will give compensation to the farmers, but the Centre is also responsible.
"Why hasn't Bommai raised the issue in parliament? Why he did not meet the PM and agriculture minister," he asked.
The maize growers have been demanding procurement at Rs 3,000 per quintal.
The current MSP is Rs 2,400 per quintal, and farmers are seeking a Rs 600 bonus. Ahead of the session, the state government announced increasing maize procurement from 20 quintals per farmer to 50 quintals at Rs 2,400 per quintal.
On irrigation related issues, Shivakumar said no one has done as much work as the Congress government has done in the history of the irrigation department of Karnataka.
Meanwhile, the Opposition Leader in the Karnataka Assembly, R Ashoka, charged that the government has become so poor that it is not able to replace the crust gates of the Tungabhadra dam.
"While farmers are committing suicide, the government is in a jolly mood arranging breakfast meetings," Ashoka said while interacting with reporters in Belagavi.
BJP state president B Y Vijayendra said there is a need for discussion on the burning issues of the state during the winter session of the Karnataka Legislature.
"Farmers are in distress due to the bad policies of the state government. It also failed to fulfill its promise to create jobs for unemployed youths.Weavers are also facing challenges," the Shikaripura MLA told reporters in Belagavi.
