BENGALURU
Karnataka’s Minister for Forest and Environment, Eshwar Khandre, launched a blistering attack on the Central government, accusing the BJP of showing its “anti-poor colors” following a steep hike in commercial gas prices. His comments come just a day after oil marketing companies raised the price of a 19-kg commercial LPG cylinder by a historic ₹993.
Speaking to reporters in the city, Khandre highlighted that the price of a single commercial cylinder has now crossed the ₹3,150 mark in Bengaluru. He warned that this “staggering increase” would inevitably lead to higher costs for meals, coffee, and snacks at local hotels, directly hurting common citizens and middle-class families. “The moment the polls are over, the BJP’s true agenda of making life miserable for the poor is revealed,” Khandre remarked, referring to the recent conclusion of elections in five states.
The Minister also pointed out the timing of the hike. He argued that the policy is a double blow to laborers and small business owners already struggling with global supply shortages caused by the ongoing conflict in West Asia. He contrasted the current situation with the UPA era, claiming that BJP leaders who once protested minor price fluctuations are now “silent in the face of historic misrule.”
Khandre concluded by challenging Prime Minister Narendra Modi and state BJP leaders to address the economic strain on auto drivers and hoteliers. As local restaurants prepare to hike their prices in response to the fuel surge, Khandre’s statements have set the stage for a heated political confrontation over inflation and the rising cost of living in the state.
