Bengaluru: Mounting a strong defence of the Karnataka Cabinet’s decision to hike milk prices by Rs 8 per litre from November 1, IT and Rural Development Minister Priyank Kharge on Friday blamed the broader inflationary pressures in the country on the Union Government’s macroeconomic policies, invoking the BJP’s 2014 campaign slogan to target the Modi government.
Reacting to opposition criticism over rising living costs, Kharge argued that state-level adjustments are driven by nationwide price escalations and aimed at directly supporting dairy farmers, while insisting that Karnataka’s milk rates remain the lowest compared to BJP-ruled states like Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Maharashtra.
“Who is responsible for inflation? Is it the state government? How is the Consumer Price Index determined? Is it by the central government or by the state government? If you remember, there was a slogan 13–14 years back—‘Bahut ho gayi mehngai ki maar, ab ki baar Modi sarkar.’ Has inflation decreased or increased?” Priyank Kharge questioned while addressing reporters.
Kharge stressed that national macro-indicators like the Consumer Price Index (CPI), fuel taxes, and essential commodity pricing are controlled by central policies, not state cabinets.
The ₹8 per litre price hike directly benefits rural dairy producers—with ₹7 per litre transferred straight to farmers to offset rising fodder and operational expenses.
Kharge maintained that even after the revision, Nandini milk in Karnataka remains significantly cheaper than dairy products in states like Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Maharashtra.
Highlighting what he termed as political hypocrisy, Kharge targeted BJP supporters and central tax adjustments. “Whenever they increase taxes, it is to serve the nation. Whenever they increase prices, it is to serve the people of India. But if we do it, they have a problem. If you recollect, the same BJP supporters said, ‘Even if petrol goes up to ₹200, we will buy it because it is for the nation.'”
“Who are we doing it for? Only for farmers, only for the people of Karnataka. And despite all that, we are still cheaper than Gujarat, we are still cheaper than Rajasthan, we are still cheaper than Maharashtra. We are still the cheapest in the country. Yes, there is going to be a problem, but inflation is rising because of Modinomics, not because of DK Shivakumar,” Kharge added.
Taking aim at consumer affordability, Kharge noted that everyday household budgets—measured by the cost of essential thalis, food grains, spices, and fuel—have systematically increased nationwide over the past decade.
The Karnataka Cabinet’s decision, announced by Minister Krishna Byre Gowda, came after milk production in the state dropped by nearly 10 lakh litres due to recent drought conditions, prompting bipartisan calls in the state legislature to aid dairy farmers.
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