Bengaluru, Apr 15 (UNI) Karnataka Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy on Tuesday questioned the selective outrage against the state government over the ongoing truckers’ strike, asking why the Centre's repeated fuel price hikes and toll collections have not drawn similar protests.
"It is unfair that only the state government is being targeted when the central government has increased fuel prices multiple times," Reddy told reporters, as the indefinite strike by truckers disrupted transport services across Karnataka.
Clarifying the state’s position, he said the recent revision involved only a Rs 2 hike in diesel and not petrol. “Even five to six months ago, we had made a similar revision. We understand that this may be a burden on the transport sector, but the Centre must also share the responsibility. From 1964 to 2015, fuel prices rose from Rs 49 to Rs 92 — that increase was not solely by the state,” Reddy added.