BJP protests fiercely against milk and bus fare hikes in Bengaluru

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has taken an aggressive stance against rising inflation and various decisions of the state government in Karnataka. According to a report by 'Aaj Tak', BJP leaders and workers gathered in large numbers at Freedom Park in Bengaluru on Wednesday and held a protest against the state's Congress government with slogans. The BJP has alleged that the government is placing a heavy burden on the common man by increasing the prices of items one after another.

The protest was led by BJP State President B.Y. Vijayendra. He was accompanied by Leader of Opposition in the Assembly R. Ashoka and Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council Chalvadhi Narayanaswamy. During the protest, BJP leaders termed the hikes in milk and bus fares as an injustice to the common people. They launched sharp attacks on the Congress government led by D.K. Shivakumar, calling it anti-people.

In addition to the party's Core Committee members, MPs, MLAs, MLCs, state office bearers, and district presidents also participated in this protest. Alleging the government, BJP leaders said that the government has no concern for the difficulties of the common people and that family budgets have been disrupted due to continuously rising prices.

The main reason for this BJP protest is two major decisions taken recently. Karnataka Transport Minister Byarathi Suresh announced an increase in bus fares for four state transport corporations on 4 November. Following this increase, the fare in Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) buses has increased by a maximum of ₹9. Similarly, a maximum increase of ₹10 has also been implemented in Bengaluru's city bus service, BMTC.

On the other hand, the Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF) has increased the price of its popular Nandini milk by ₹8 per litre. Additionally, the price of curd has been increased by ₹14 per litre. The impact of this inflation is not limited to milk and curd alone. The Bengaluru Milk Union (BAMUL) has also changed the retail prices of Nandini ghee, butter, paneer, and Trupti milk. These new rates have come into effect from 4 November. Thus, the difficulties of common citizens have increased as the cost of daily necessities and travel has risen.

The BJP is continuously attacking the Congress government on these issues and attempting to corner the government on the streets. The party believes that the poor and middle class are most affected by these decisions of the government. During the protest, BJP leaders demanded that the government withdraw this increase.

The Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF) is a cooperative institution of Karnataka state that works on the marketing and processing of milk and dairy products in the state. It sells its products under the 'Nandini' brand. For years, this institution has been known for providing a livelihood to lakhs of dairy farmers in the state and providing affordable milk to consumers. In previous years as well, the price-fixing decisions of this institution have been subjects of discussion in the state's politics.