<p>Fuel in Karnataka is the cheapest among the southern states as the government has ensured lower taxes, Agriculture Minister Krishna Byre Gowda said Tuesday, while attacking the Modi administration over petrol and diesel prices that have peaked.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"This fuel price hike, which comes at a time when the nation is still reeling under the economic shock of the failure that was demonetisation and a poorly implemented GST, is a body blow to the common man," Gowda, who represents Karnataka in the GST Council, told a press conference.</p>.<p class="bodytext">As on last year, the tax on petrol in Karnataka was Rs 15.49 and diesel Rs 9.35. "Further, the abolishing of the 5% entry tax in July 2017 has made fuel in Karnataka the cheapest," Gowda said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The minister said the BJP-led Centre cannot blame the price rise on the global crude oil price. "In May 2014, when the BJP came to power, global crude oil traded at $105.71 a barrel, which has seen a record drop since. Today, while crude is $63.46, the cost of petrol and diesel is Rs 76.06 and Rs 64.86 respectively. How will the BJP explain this to the citizens," Gowda asked.</p>
<p>Fuel in Karnataka is the cheapest among the southern states as the government has ensured lower taxes, Agriculture Minister Krishna Byre Gowda said Tuesday, while attacking the Modi administration over petrol and diesel prices that have peaked.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"This fuel price hike, which comes at a time when the nation is still reeling under the economic shock of the failure that was demonetisation and a poorly implemented GST, is a body blow to the common man," Gowda, who represents Karnataka in the GST Council, told a press conference.</p>.<p class="bodytext">As on last year, the tax on petrol in Karnataka was Rs 15.49 and diesel Rs 9.35. "Further, the abolishing of the 5% entry tax in July 2017 has made fuel in Karnataka the cheapest," Gowda said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The minister said the BJP-led Centre cannot blame the price rise on the global crude oil price. "In May 2014, when the BJP came to power, global crude oil traded at $105.71 a barrel, which has seen a record drop since. Today, while crude is $63.46, the cost of petrol and diesel is Rs 76.06 and Rs 64.86 respectively. How will the BJP explain this to the citizens," Gowda asked.</p>
