Bengaluru, Oct. 30 -- The Congress government in Karnataka is facing a fresh political and public backlash over its decision to raise Nandini milk prices by Rs 8 per litre, with consumer groups and the hotel industry questioning the additional burden on households even as the government defends the move as essential to protect dairy farmers.

The revised prices, coming into effect from November 1, will take the price of milk from Rs 46 to Rs 54 per litre, marking a steep increase that is likely to affect household budgets and push up costs across the hospitality sector.

The controversy has exposed the government's difficult balancing act between meeting the financial demands of dairy farmers and protecting consumers from rising living cost...