(MENAFN- IANS) Bengaluru, April 1 (IANS) Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel, H.D. Kumaraswamy, has strongly criticised the Karnataka government, dubbing it a "Price-Demon" draining the people's resources, surpassing even Mahmud of Ghazni and Muhammad Ghori.

In a press statement, Union Minister Kumaraswamy accused the Karnataka government of imposing a cess even on garbage from April 1, further burdening the common people.

Kumaraswamy claimed that the state government was imposing an oppressive tax regime on Kannadigas, making even historical invaders like Mahmud of Ghazni and Muhammad Ghori seem lenient in comparison.

“The government is sucking people's blood in the state! It has levied cess on garbage too,” the Union Minister expressed outrage.

"The state government tells a new lie every day and announces a price hike every month. This is the governance style of the Karnataka East India Congress Company Government! From today, the Congress Company Government has started imposing cess even on garbage," he lashed out.

The government is using the five guarantees as an excuse for price hikes, but its real intention is nothing but plundering the people, he said.

He further accused the government of destroying the once-prosperous Karnataka through misgovernance, calling it a "Price-Demon Congress Government" that is sucking the people's blood."

Kumaraswamy highlighted the numerous price hikes, listing increases in water tariffs, metro fares, KSRTC bus tickets, milk prices, electricity charges, stamp duty, guidance value, excise duty, outpatient consultation fees in government hospitals, post-mortem examination charges, professional tax, and even the price of seeds for farmers.

“As if all this wasn't enough, from April 1, the government has also imposed a Garbage Cess,” he said and accused the government of orchestrating a massive scam in the name of waste management.

The increased prices for milk, curd, electricity, and the garbage cess came into effect across the state on Tuesday.

The prices of milk and curd have been raised by Rs 4 per litre, while the power tariff has been increased by 36 paise per unit.

The BJP has announced series of protests and agitations over price hikes across the state in this week.

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