Ashoka Slams Karnataka Govt Over Fuel Tax Hikes, Accuses Congress of Burdening Public

Bengaluru, March 2026 : Senior BJP leader and Leader of the Opposition R. Ashoka on Friday launched a sharp attack on Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, accusing the Congress-led state government of imposing higher taxes on petrol and diesel and passing the burden onto citizens.

In a strongly worded statement, Ashoka termed Shivakumar’s criticism of fuel pricing as “ironic and laughable,” arguing that the state government itself was responsible for making fuel more expensive in Karnataka. He alleged that since coming to power in May 2023 under Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, the Congress government has increasingly relied on fuel taxes as a key source of revenue.

According to Ashoka, the state government raised petrol prices by nearly Rs 3 per litre and diesel by around Rs 3.5 per litre in June 2024 through a hike in sales tax. He further claimed that diesel prices were increased again by Rs 2 per litre in April 2025. These repeated hikes, he said, have made diesel in Karnataka over Rs 5.5 per litre costlier purely due to state-level taxation.

Targeting Shivakumar’s remarks against the Centre, Ashoka questioned why the state government continued to “punish farmers, transporters, and daily commuters” with higher fuel prices. He argued that instead of blaming the Union government, the state should take responsibility for its own taxation policies.

Ashoka also brought up the issue of oil bonds issued during the tenure of the United Progressive Alliance government between 2005 and 2010. He claimed that these bonds, introduced to manage fuel subsidies at the time, had deferred the financial burden to future administrations. According to him, the current government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi is still servicing liabilities from those bonds, which he said have crossed Rs 1.5 lakh crore, including interest.

He accused the Congress of taking credit for keeping fuel prices low in the past while shifting the financial strain onto future taxpayers. Drawing a comparison, Ashoka said that when the Centre adjusted excise duties in April 2025, it ensured that the impact did not directly affect consumers. In contrast, he alleged that any increase in fuel taxes by the Karnataka government immediately translated into higher retail prices.

Further criticising the state’s fiscal approach, Ashoka said the government was treating petrol and diesel as a “cash cow” to manage its budgetary challenges. He challenged the Congress leadership to roll back the alleged Rs 5.5 per litre increase in diesel prices if it was genuinely concerned about public welfare.

Calling for greater accountability, Ashoka said the people of Karnataka were aware of what he described as “tax-and-blame politics.” He urged the state government to focus on providing real relief to citizens instead of engaging in political rhetoric over fuel pricing.