Karnataka government faces flak for bus fare hike, BJP blames Congress guarantees​on January 3, 2025 at 2:15 pm

Karnataka government faces flak for bus fare hike, BJP blames Congress guarantees

​Karnataka government faces flak for bus fare hike, BJP blames Congress guarantees Karnataka government faces flak for bus fare hike, BJP blames Congress guarantees   

The Opposition staged protests and BJP leaders lambasted the Congress-led Karnataka government for increasing bus fares across all four state-run transport corporations.

The Karnataka government announced a 15 per cent hike across all transport corporations, effective from January 5. Which means people travelling in buses of Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC), Kalyana Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (KKRTC), North Western Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (NWKRTC), and Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) will be paying the extra fare from Monday onwards.

Leader of the Opposition in the Karnataka Assembly, R Ashoka held a protest at a major bus stand in Bengaluru against the price hike. Talking to the media, Ashoka called Siddaramaiah a “tubelight.”

“The government is bankrupt, taxing everything, now even bus tickets,” says Ashok.

He also protested by giving flowers to people travelling in buses.

Union Minister and Dharwad MP Pralhad Joshi called it a robbery by the government. “They have increased the prices of milk, liquor and now bus tickets. This is robbery by the government.”

However, Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy justified this move. “The fuel price in 2014 was just around Rs 40. Today it’s over Rs 100. If the central government reduces the fuel charges, ticket prices will also go down. When the BJP left the government in 2023, there was a debt of Rs 5,900 crore. Salary of the staff has increased, the fuel prices have increased and hence the prices of the ticket have increased,” he said.

BJP MLA Mahesh Tenginkai said Congress’s guarantee schemes are at the root of this latest price increase. He said this move proved that the Congress party is not good with the state’s finances at all.

“First the party gives five guarantees, then they are unable to fulfill these guarantees. This is why they are giving with one hand and taking it back with two hands while in power in Karnataka. On one hand they are providing free bus rides for women, and on the other, they are hiking fares by 15-20 per cent. People have begun to understand how the Congress party is running the government. We are going to protest this. The Congress is unable to bear the financial burden and is sinking under its own weight,” the MLA from Hubli-Dharwad Central constituency said.

Cabinet minister NS Boseraju, who was touring Koppal district, defended the government’s move saying the prices were increased as the operational costs have increased. “You see everything is getting costlier – diesel, petrol. And for the longest time there has been no increase in bus fares. Every year the (state) employees also have their demands. For this, as is the normal course, they have increased 15 per cent,” he said.

Meanwhile, LOP Chalavadi Narayanswamy was scathing in his attack on the Congress-led government. He said his party was apologising for the government’s decisions. “People are upset with Congress’ decision of a 15 per cent price hike,” he stated.

Belgaum MP and ex-chief minister Jagadish Shettar blamed poor administration for losses and said that the price hike will burden the common man.

Since the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government came to power on the back of its five guarantees, the prices of essential goods and services have been on the rise. In June last year, Rs 2 per litre milk hike was introduced, offering only 50ml extra, and now the 15 percent bus fare hike is the latest in a growing list.

The BJP has been quick to point out that these price hikes are a direct result of the Congress party’s failure to manage the state’s finances while attempting to fulfil its promises. With the Bangalore Electricity Supply Company (BESCOM) also proposing a tariff hike for the next three years, the BJP argues that these increases are a consequence of the government’s guarantee schemes, which they claim are sinking the state’s economy.