H D Kumaraswamy ruled out any further cut in fuel price

Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy Thursday ruled out any further cut in fuel prices as it had already done it a fortnight ago. The state government had slashed the petrol and diesel prices by Rs two per litre on September 17 in view of the public outcry against spiralling fuel prices.

Kumaraswamy's reaction came when reporters asked him whether the government was contemplating a further reduction in fuel prices in the wake of the Centre announcing a Rs 2.50 per litre cut in petrol and diesel prices.

"It is almost a month ever since we reduced the fuel prices in Karnataka by Rs two (per litre). We must appreciate that the central government finally reduced the fuel prices by Rs 2.5 (per litre) realising the burden on the citizens," he said.

Reacting to the centre's fuel price cut, former prime minister H D Deve Gowda and JD(S) supremo told reporters in Delhi that the centre took a cue from Karnataka to slash fuel prices.

The Congress in Karnataka too welcomed the Centres decision. Speaking to a private news channel, Congress president Dinesh Gundu Rao said, "Finally the government heeded to the long-standing demand for fuel price cut, which had crossed the limit. When the international crude prices were low, the government kept on increasing fuel prices and decreased it when prices at the international level are shooting up." 

(With inputs from agencies.)