Bengaluru, Nov 9 (SocialNews.XYZ) Senior BJP leader and Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly R. Ashoka on Monday accused the Karnataka government of politicising the ethanol blending controversy to target the Union government and impress Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, instead of addressing pressing issues in the state.
Reacting to Food and Civil Supplies Minister Rizwan Arshad's allegations over the proportion of ethanol blended in petrol, Ashoka questioned the state government's authority and capacity to conduct such tests, asserting that the matter fell within the purview of the Centre.
"What is the minister doing? His responsibility is to address issues concerning the state. There are concerns over contamination in milk, drinking water, food and vegetables. He should first look into these issues and discharge his responsibilities properly. Instead, he is pointing fingers at the Central government," he alleged.
Questioning the Karnataka government's testing procedures, Ashoka asked whether the state had laboratories equipped to investigate petrol and diesel quality and ethanol blending.
"Does the state government have laboratories to conduct tests on petrol and diesel? There are no laboratories specifically meant for such testing under the state government. It is the responsibility of the Central government, which has the necessary expertise and machinery to investigate such matters. The state government should concentrate on its own responsibilities instead of interfering in the Centre's work," he said.
He alleged that the Congress government was raising the ethanol blending issue only to demonstrate to Rahul Gandhi that it was taking on the Union government.
Ashoka also criticised the state government over the recent increase in prices and fares, alleging that people were facing a financial burden during the festive season, including Kannada Rajyotsava and Deepavali.
He pointed out that the prices of milk, curd, ghee and other essential commodities had increased, while transport fares had also been hiked. He claimed that the High Court had expressed disappointment over the functioning of the state government.
"For the past year, I have been highlighting how prices are being increased across the state. Roads are riddled with potholes, several parts of the state are facing drought and drinking water shortages, and farmers are not receiving adequate financial assistance. Instead of addressing these issues, the government is increasing prices. This is a shame for the Congress party," he alleged.
Targeting Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, Ashoka alleged that corruption and commission-seeking had become rampant in the state administration. He claimed that ministers were more concerned about their commissions and the money they could make through corruption than public welfare.
Referring to alleged corruption charges involving Rs 75 lakh against a Deputy Commissioner and a sitting minister in Hassan district, he said such allegations reflected the state of administration in Karnataka.
"Wherever you go in Karnataka, nothing moves without corruption," he alleged.
The Karnataka government launched Operation Nikhar to test and investigate ethanol concentrations in E20 petrol supplied across fuel stations in the state. To check whether fuel stations are complying with the mandated 20 per cent ethanol blending limit (E20).
Fuel samples were collected from major oil brands across multiple districts, including Bengaluru, Kolar, Chikkaballapura, Bengaluru Rural, Ramanagara, Mangaluru, and Tumakuru.
Consumer Affairs Minister Rizwan Arshad stated that laboratory tests conducted via NABL-accredited/ISO-certified facilities revealed ethanol levels exceeding the permitted 20 per cent ceiling.
Certain samples recorded significantly higher concentrations—such as 31.2 per cent in petrol from Indian Oil Corporation (IOCL) and 30.5 per cent from Hindustan Petroleum Corporation (HPCL), with other brands ranging from 25.5 per cent to 26.5 per cent.
The oil companies and the Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Ministry had questioned the testing methodology adopted by the Karnataka government, stating that the findings were not based on the statutory and technical procedures prescribed under the Motor Spirit and High Speed Diesel Control Order, 2005, and the Marketing Discipline Guidelines, 2024.
Source: IANS
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