Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], March 31 (ANI): Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar and Congress in-charge for the state Randeep Singh Surjewala on Tuesday held a joint press conference from Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee headquarters, sharply criticising the Centre over rising prices of essential commodities and alleged rollback of welfare benefits.

Addressing a press conference, Shivakumar said, 'People are suffering due to rising prices. The government's repeated mistakes have added to their hardships. The challenges arising from the war have further strained ordinary citizens. Gas supply is scarce, hotels are struggling to get cylinders, and even electricity has become unreliable. Firewood is increasingly difficult to obtain, and cylinder prices have gone up by 60. Yet, whenever we take measures to help, we are met with criticism.'

Shivakumar further alleged that 'we are facing price rise because of many mistakes by the government, and we are experiencing it in the name of wars. We are all suffering because of the foreign policy.'

He targeted the Ujjwala LPG scheme, saying, 'Ujjwala is gone, and they have started the firewood scheme. There is a situation where people are depending on firewood instead of gas. They have given 'Sowde Bhagya' (satirical reference following the LPG shortage situation), but where will people bring firewood from? Power prices have also increased, and railway ticket prices have also increased.'

The Deputy CM accused the Centre of waging a 'price-rise war on ordinary people,' while emphasising the Congress government's welfare measures in Karnataka.

'By giving five guarantees, we have become partners in the lives of the people. The Central government is blaming the war for the price rise. We brought guarantee schemes to control the economic situation of the people. Our schemes are helping the public,' he asserted.

Shivakumar accused the Modi government of collecting 43 lakh crore from petroleum taxes over 11 years, labelling it 'brazen loot.'

He claimed these funds high prices, while Karnataka's Congress model allocates 1,18,000 crore to direct benefits, countering central inflation.

'They have collected from excise duty on petrol, diesel, and aviation fuel 43 lakh crore in 11 years. Their balance sheets are showing. I gave you the documents from the petroleum analysis so that they are authenticated. Where has that money gone? So they will not give GST share to Karnataka, they will loot Karnataka, by taking 43,000 crore only in toll taxes, they will loot every individual of Karnataka, by imposing taxes on all essential goods and hiking their prices, and if the government of Karnataka spends 1,18,000 crore in guarantees by transferring the money to the account of the people directly so that they are protected from BJP's belly hurricane. They want to take that away, too,' said the Karnataka Dy CM.

DK Shivkumar contrasted the Karnataka government's guarantee schemes--allegedly transferring 1,18,000 crore to people's accounts--against the central government's taxation policies.

'This is brazen loot, and nothing else, and we reject it with the contempt it deserves. So there are two models now. One is the Karnataka model, where five guarantees are transferring 1,18,000 crore into the accounts of people to save them from BJP-led inflation. On the other side is the Modi government and the BJP, who continue to loot, please, and vulgarise the pockets of Kannadigars and the people,' he added.

Meanwhile, on Monday, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, lashed out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and painted a grim picture. picture of the Indian economy under the leadership of PM Modi. He again claimed that PM is 'compromised'.

The Congress MP Rahul Gandhi hit hard with fresh allegations and pointed out the rupee's slide, the stock market crash, and job losses.

https://x.com/RahulGandhi/status/2038610200350089418?s=20

'Rupee: 95 + 100 Stocks: Crashing Economy: Collapsed Jobs: Gone Income: Falling Savings: Wiped out Cylinders: Unavailable Why? PM Compromised,' Rahul Gandhi said on social media.

'He is desperate to protect himself and his financial structure. But 140 crore Indians. know - PM Modi has surrendered India's future,' the Congress MP added in his post. (ANI)