'Modi govt betrayed people': Cong slams BJP on rising petrol, diesel prices

Agencies
April 3, 2018

New Delhi, Apr 3: The Congress on Monday demanded that petrol and diesel be brought under the Goods and Service Tax (GST) regime, and accused the Modi government of "betraying" the trust of the common people and "miserably failing" to curtail the rise in fuel prices.

Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram dubbed the BJP government as "anti-poor" and "anti-middle class" as these sections have to bear the burden of high fuel prices.

He also alleged that the BJP government believed in "cruel taxation" and "imprudent borrowing".

Noting that crude oil price had fallen from $108 in May 2014 to $77 in April 2018, the former finance minister asked, "Why are petrol and diesel prices today higher than prices in May 2014?"

"The BJP government is anti-poor and anti-middle class. These are the sections that have to bear the burden of high petrol and diesel prices.

"BJP government believes in two things (1) Cruel Taxation and (2) Imprudent Borrowing. Thank god this is the last year of the present government," he said in a series of tweets.

Congress communications in-charge Randeep Surjewala said the Modi government was "unmoved" and "unresponsive" to the pain of the common people suffering the brunt of high oil prices.

"The Narendra Modi government has betrayed the trust that the common people had bestowed on it. It has miserably failed to curtail the rise in fuel prices and busy filling the treasury coffers at the expense of the ordinary citizens.

"We have demanded in the past and we again reiterate our demand that petrol and diesel must be brought under the GST," he said in a statement.

Surjewala said while diesel prices are at an all-time high, petrol price is the highest since Modi came to power, "but Modi government is 'unmoved, unresponsive, unhearable and now unbearable'!"

He said the BJP's pre-election slogans have now become a "cruel joke" on common people.

The Congress leader said with diesel price shooting up directly impacts food inflation as the lifeline of farmers is at a historic high and petrol's continuous rise burns holes in the pockets of people.

"Narendra Modi's previous tweets on petrol and diesel prices now mock us in the face and serve as a constant reminder that one should never trust the BJP and its tall promises. Only one year is left, and people of India will definitely vote this government out!" he said.

He also accused the BJP of profiteering at the cost of common people, alleging that while international crude oil prices have come down by more than 30 percent, the BJP government has earned a windfall of Rs 7.35 lakh crore by levying various central taxes on petrol and diesel.

"Where has the money gone? Instead of passing the benefit to ordinary Indians, they got brutally taxed by BJP," he said.

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News Network
December 4,2025

Udupi: A 40-year-old NRI from Udupi has reportedly lost more than Rs 12.25 lakh in an online investment scam operated through Telegram.

According to a complaint filed at the CEN police station, Leo Jerome Mendonsa, who has been working in Dubai for the past 15 years in computer accessories sales, maintains NRI accounts in Karkala and Nitte.

On November 12, 2025, Mendonsa was added to a Telegram group called Instaflow Earnings by unknown individuals. Users identified as Priya and Dipannita persuaded him to invest in “Revenue Tasks.” Initially, Mendonsa transferred Rs 1,100 multiple times and received the promised returns, encouraging him to continue.

On November 14, another user, Nishmitha Shetty, directed him to register on a website, digitvisionuoce.cc, and invest Rs 4 lakh in various shares. Over the next few days, he made multiple transfers totaling Rs 12,25,000, including Rs 50,000 via Google Pay, believing the scheme was legitimate.

After receiving the money, the alleged handlers stopped responding, and neither the invested amount nor the promised profits were returned.

The CEN police have registered a case under Sections 66(C) and 66(D) of the IT Act and Section 318(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), and investigations are ongoing.

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News Network
December 2,2025

DKSsiddu.jpg

Bengaluru: 'Nati koli saaru' (country chicken curry) considered one of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s favourites along with steaming hot idlis was on the breakfast menu at Deputy CM D K Shivakumar’s residence on Tuesday, according to official sources.

The spread also included 'nati koli' fry, vada and pongal, among other items, they said.

In an apparent show of unity, Siddaramaiah visited Shivakumar’s residence for breakfast, just days after the two leaders shared a meal amid a simmering power tussle in the state Congress.

Siddaramaiah drove to the Deputy CM’s residence in Sadashivanagar, where he was received by Shivakumar and his brother D K Suresh, who is a former Congress MP.

Suresh and Kunigal MLA H D Ranganath, a relative of Shivakumar, joined them for breakfast, which featured a mix of vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes.

Speaking to reporters later, Siddaramaiah said Shivakumar had invited him during his visit to the CM’s residence for breakfast on Saturday.

Asked about the difference between the two meals, the chief minister said, "At his (Shivakumar’s) house it was non-veg, while at my house it was veg. He is a vegetarian, I am a non-vegetarian. I had not prepared non-veg. I told DK to get chicken from the village as you won’t get the original in Bengaluru."

Shivakumar said he had initially invited Siddaramaiah to his residence, but the CM had suggested visiting his place first and reciprocating later. "It was a vegetarian breakfast at the CM’s house on Saturday," he noted.

"Today, I invited him (the CM) to my house. He enjoyed the breakfast, which had his Mysuru taste," Shivakumar added. At this point, Siddaramaiah remarked that Shivakumar’s wife is also from Mysuru.

Saturday’s breakfast at Siddaramaiah’s official residence, held as part of efforts by the Congress high command to ease tensions in the leadership dispute between the two, reportedly included idlis and sambar, according to official sources.

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News Network
December 15,2025

Mangaluru police have arrested a 27-year-old NRI on his return from Saudi Arabia in connection with an Instagram post allegedly containing derogatory and provocative remarks about the Hindu religion, officials said on Monday.

The accused, Abdul Khader Nehad, a resident of Ulaibettu in Mangaluru, was working in Saudi Arabia when the post was uploaded, police said.

A suo motu case was registered at the Bajpe police station on October 11 after an allegedly offensive post circulated from the Instagram account ‘team_sdpi_2025’. Police said the content was flagged for being provocative and derogatory in nature.

During the investigation, technical analysis traced the Instagram post to Nehad, who was residing abroad at the time, a senior police officer said. Based on these findings, a Look Out Circular (LOC) was issued against him.

On December 14, Nehad arrived from Saudi Arabia at Calicut International Airport in Kerala, where he was taken into custody on arrival. Police said further investigation is underway.

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