Congress slams govt over rising fuel prices

The Congress party slammed the Central government as fuel prices touched an "all-time high" and said that the government's moves are aimed at helping the capitalists.

New Delhi:Slamming the NDA government over rising fuel prices in the country, Congress National Spokesperson Ranjeet Ranjan said that the central government only wants to help the capitalists.

Speaking to ETV Bharat, Rajan said," The prices of fuel have spiked yet again. Petrol prices have gone up to Rs 90.93/L in Delhi and Rs 97.34/L in Mumbai. Diesel prices too have gone up. However, the central government is not taking any step towards giving relief to the public and it only wants to benefit the capitalists."

"People are suffering due to inflation, while the Modi government is busy in tax collection. The central government is taking Rs 32 on excise duty on petrol and the Bihar government is charging 20 per cent of excise duty on petrol. Which means 52 per cent tax is being taken on petrol," she alleged.

"From 2004 to 2014 there was the UPA government at the Centre and Petrol used to be Rs 50-60 per litre. When the price was hiked to Rs 62, the BJP created a ruckus over that issue. Under the UPA government, 12 cylinders were given on subsidy which has now been withdrawn by the BJP government. So the central government must immediately withdraw the central excise duty hike that it has charged in the last six years and the petrol prices should come down," she said.