K’taka BJP Mahila Morcha protests milk price hike; Shobha Karandlaje demands rollback

Bengaluru: The BJP State Mahila Morcha on Monday staged a protest at Freedom Park in Bengaluru against the hike in milk prices, with Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje demanding that the Congress government roll back the increased prices and provide justice to farmers, warning that the government should quit power before a “revolution” erupts.

“Before a revolution takes place in the state, the Congress government should leave power. Otherwise, roll back all the prices you have increased and give justice to our farmers,” Karandlaje said while addressing the protesters.

The Union Minister alleged that the state government’s administration had collapsed over the past three to four months and had reached its lowest level.

“The state government’s administration has come down to zero in the last three to four months. Today, it has reached its lowest level. Such a situation has been created in Karnataka,” she charged.

Questioning Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar over what she described as the government's Kannada Rajyotsava “gift” to the people, Karandlaje said those in power should not judge the financial condition of ordinary citizens based on their own lifestyles.

“Chief Minister, what is your Kannada Rajyotsava gift to the people? You may be wealthy enough to drink Bisleri water in your homes, but we are not people who drink Bisleri. We drink the water of our mother Cauvery,” she said.

“Do not determine the standard of living of the people of Karnataka based on your own status. You may be able to pay more for milk, but people who work in hotels for small salaries, drive taxis and autorickshaws, or survive through roadside businesses are facing severe hardship,” she added.

Karandlaje said ordinary citizens had to pay house rent, electricity bills, water bills and garbage collection charges from their limited incomes while also bearing the burden of repeated increases in milk and curd prices.

The Union Minister also attacked the Congress government over drought relief, alleging that farmers had been given Rs 2,500 per acre “as if it were charity” while being subjected to several conditions.

“There has been inadequate rainfall, and the state is facing a severe drought. The government has given farmers Rs 2,500 per acre as if it were alms,” she alleged.

She said the previous BJP government led by B.S. Yediyurappa had provided Rs 4,000 to farmers in addition to assistance under the Centre's PM-Kisan Samman scheme.

“After coming to power, they stopped the money that the Yediyurappa government was providing to farmers. For even this Rs 2,500, they have imposed 17 or 18 rules and conditions,” she charged.

Karandlaje further alleged that the government had repeatedly increased milk prices while its guarantee schemes were not reaching beneficiaries properly.

“Rs 5,000 crore under the Gruha Lakshmi scheme has gone missing, and the government has not accounted for it till date,” she alleged.

She also criticised the government over the condition of the state-run transport corporations, claiming there was no money to repair buses or purchase diesel despite the government's free bus travel scheme for women.

Former Legislative Council member Bharati Shetty, who also addressed the protest, demanded an immediate rollback of the milk price hike.

She said the previous BJP government under Yediyurappa had provided subsidies for milk from the state exchequer and demanded that the Congress government fulfil its manifesto promise of providing milk subsidies.

“The Congress government should provide subsidies for milk as promised in its manifesto. But it is not right to give consumers a shock treatment,” she said.

Bharati Shetty said the BJP Mahila Morcha was holding protests against the price hike across Karnataka, including at the district, mandal and ward levels.

She alleged that the government had increased milk prices several times and criticised the latest hike.

BJP Kisan Morcha State Vice-President Bharati Mallikarjun, leaders Poornima Prakash, Bengaluru North Mahila Morcha district president Manjula Devi, Bengaluru Central Mahila Morcha district president Neethu N.M. Reddy, Bengaluru South Mahila Morcha district president Shwetha Raghavendra and other office-bearers and workers were present at the protest.

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