Lorry strike not good for farmers, says K’taka Transport Min. Ramalinga Reddy
Bengaluru: Karnataka Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy has said that any kind of strike is not good for the interest of the public and farmers.
After a meeting with representatives of the State Lorry Owners Association, Reddy addressed the media, pointing out that the strike was being held only now despite a decade of rising fuel prices under the central government.
The minister noted that the price of diesel has nearly doubled from ₹49.54 in 2015 to ₹91.05 currently without sparking similar protests during that time. He attributed the current economic strain on state governments to the central government's fiscal policies, arguing that state-level taxation was a forced measure to keep the system afloat. “When the real issue lies at the Centre, why strike now?” he questioned.
Meanwhile, G.R. Shanmukhappa, president of the State Lorry Owners Association, said the group has written multiple times to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah but has yet to receive a response. He reiterated that the association is ready for discussions if the government reaches out.
Their demands include a review of diesel prices, an end to extortion by RTO officials at border checkpoints, and the easing of restrictions on lorries entering Bengaluru, particularly those transporting daily essentials.
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Telangana: Man sets woman on fire for 'rejecting' marriage proposal
Hyderabad (PTI): A 28-year-old married woman was set on fire allegedly by a man after she "rejected" his marriage proposal in Mahabubabad town on Tuesday, police said.
The accused, in his 40s, who runs a shop, had developed an "illicit" relationship with the woman and was suspecting that she was in contact with another person and that she was "ignoring" him.
He poured petrol on the woman when she was alone at her house and set her on fire. He then hugged her and both of them suffered injuries, police said.
They were initially shifted to Government Hospital in Mahabubabad and later admitted to another state-run Hospital in Warangal for further treatment.
As per the doctors, the woman suffered 90 per cent burns in the incident while the accused 75 per cent burns, police said.
The woman's mother, in a complaint to the police, stated that her daughter was married to a man in Gudur mandal.
Due to family disputes, the woman came to Mahabubabad along with her two children and was residing there for the past three years.
She was running a vegetable cart. The accused was already married, and his wife had passed away. He developed an"illicit" relationship with the woman, police said.
The accused allegedly forced and harassed the victim to marry him, the complainant said.
Based on a complaint, an attempt to murder case was registered in connection with the incident, police added.
