Bengaluru, May 15: Strongly condemning the petrol and diesel price hike and demanding its rollback, Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah on Friday called for PM Narendra Modi’s resignation, holding him responsible for allegedly failing the people, mismanaging the economy, and pushing ordinary families into deeper hardship.
He said the Modi government increased petrol and diesel prices as expected after the Assembly polls in four states and one union territory.
“The Modi government has once again punished the people for its own failures by increasing petrol and diesel prices by Rs 3 per litre. This is not just a price hike; it is another direct attack on the daily lives of ordinary Indians,” Siddaramaiah said.
“As we had anticipated, the cost of the union government’s failed foreign policy, poor economic management, and reckless handling of inflation is now being forced on the people. Instead of protecting citizens, the Modi government is using them as a revenue source,” he posted on X.
Noting that in Bengaluru petrol has crossed Rs 106 per litre and diesel is around Rs 94 per litre, the CM said the hike would not stop at fuel pumps. It would increase transport costs, vegetable prices, grocery bills, milk prices, construction costs, school van fees, taxi and auto fares, farm input costs, and the prices of almost every essential commodity.
Farmers, workers, small traders, women managing household budgets, and the middle class would be hit the hardest, he added.
Alleging that when crude oil prices were low, the Modi government did not pass on the full relief to the people, Siddaramaiah said it collected huge taxes and filled its treasury. But when prices rise, it immediately transfers the burden to citizens. “This is not governance; this is exploitation,” he claimed.
“The Modi government has failed to control inflation, failed to protect the rupee, failed to manage the economy, and failed to stand with the common man. We wish PM Narendra Modi had shown the same urgency and commitment to protect ordinary people as he shows in protecting his capitalist friends,” he said.
Stating that he strongly condemns the “anti-people” decision and demands an immediate rollback of the Rs 3 per litre hike on petrol and diesel, the CM said, “For repeatedly failing the people, mismanaging the economy, and pushing ordinary families into deeper hardship, PM Modi must take responsibility and resign.”
Petrol and diesel prices were each hiked by Rs 3 per litre on Friday, the first rate increase in more than four years, amid mounting losses for fuel retailers due to surging global crude prices in the wake of the West Asia conflict.
The increase comes a couple of weeks after the Assembly elections concluded in Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, and Puducherry.
Earlier in the day, speaking to reporters, Siddaramaiah said there were expectations that prices would be raised, and they have been.
“We have been saying that they would increase petrol and diesel prices after the elections. When we (the Congress government) increased prices slightly, stating that our prices were lower than those in other states, the BJP criticised us. Since coming to power, Narendra Modi has increased fuel prices several times,” he claimed.
The petrol and diesel price hike will impact the lives of common people, especially farmers, labourers, and the poor, he said, adding, “We condemn it. There was no need for Modi to hike the prices now. We demand withdrawal of the price hike.”
Noting that when the BJP-led NDA government came to power at the Centre, the LPG price was Rs 413 per cylinder, the chief minister asked, “Today, how much is it? With this increase, prices of other food items have also risen.”
“Along with availability issues, if there is also a price hike, it will affect normal life,” he added.
Alleging that the central government has “failed” to conduct the NEET exam, the CM said that a large number of students have been forced into a situation where they will have to prepare for the exam once again.
The NEET (UG) 2026 exam held on May 3 was cancelled on Tuesday amid allegations of a question paper leak, with the CBI registering an FIR after the government asked it to carry out a comprehensive inquiry into the irregularities.
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Friday announced that the NEET-UG re-examination will be held on June 21. He also stated that, as part of reforms following allegations of irregularities, the medical entrance exam will be computer-based starting next year.
On the rollout of the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls in Karnataka, Siddaramaiah said, “SIR will be rolled out, and we are making necessary preparations for it.”
The Election Commission on Thursday announced the rollout of phase 3 of the SIR exercise in 16 states and three union territories, involving 36.73 crore voters, including Karnataka, in a phased manner beginning May 30.
Punjab, Jharkhand, Karnataka, and Telangana are opposition-ruled among the states where the SIR exercise is scheduled. The final electoral roll of Karnataka will be released on October 7.
