Priyanka Gandhi attacks Centre on oil price hike, demands relief for people

Slamming Centre over hike in petrol and diesel prices, Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra demanded relief for people at a time when international prices of crude oil were at an all-time low. The government hiked the excise duty on petrol and diesel by Rs 2 per litre and road cess by Re 1, per litre.

New Delhi:Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Sunday hit out at the Centre over hike in petrol and diesel prices in the country, asking why the government had failed to provide relief to common people at a time when international prices of crude oil were at an all-time low?

"Crude oil prices have decreased worldwide. But the prices of petrol and diesel are increasing in India. Why are the common people not getting the benefit of the fall in the price of crude oil?" asked Vadra on Twitter (roughly translated from Hindi).

"BJP leaders, who had claimed to sell petrol for Rs 36 in Delhi and Mumbai, have been silenced by which company?" she asked.

Fuel prices in top five cities of India

The government on Saturday hiked the excise duty on petrol and diesel by Rs 2 per litre and road cess by Re 1, effectively a Rs 3 per litre hike on both commodities.

Petrol in Delhi on Saturday was selling at Rs 69.87 per litre while diesel is costing Rs 62.58 per litre. The decision came amid steep fall in global crude oil in a bid by the government to mop up additional money as it battles weak revenues.

The Congress has slammed the BJP-led government for hike in excise duty on petrol and diesel and accused it of indulging in profiteering. Global crude oil prices fell by as much as third time following Saudi Arabia's move to start a price war with Russia amid worries over the spread of coronavirus.

(ANI Report)