Petrol and diesel prices in Karnataka were hiked by Rs 3 and Rs 3.02 respectively on Sunday after the state government hiked sales tax on the fuels.

The Karnataka Sales Tax (KST) has been increased from 25.92 percent to 29.84 percent on petrol and from 14.3 percent to 18.4 percent on diesel, according to the government notification. Consequently, petrol prices have increased by Rs 3 and diesel prices by Rs 3.02.

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The notification from the state’s finance ministry stated that the price increase would take effect immediately.

Meanwhile, BJP leaders criticized the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government’s decision to hike sales tax.

BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla said, “The true face of the Congress party has been exposed. The Congress party says there is inflation in the country, and then the Congress party and its own state governments increase the prices of petrol and diesel. have passed an anti-farmer, anti-common man order, a fatwa and a jizyah tax, and they have increased petrol and diesel prices by Rs 3 and Rs 3.05.”

He alleged that the government had increased taxes because they were “making Karnataka bankrupt because of their schemes.

Motorists in the state expressed their dissatisfaction over the decision. A motorcyclist in Bengaluru shared it news agency ANI“The rich can afford petrol, but where should we go? I work in a BPO. I will have to spend Rs 15,000 on petrol… This will have a big impact on us.”