Fuel Price: Congress calls reduced excise duty ruling BJP's poll stunt

Congress leaders taking a dig at the Centre after it cut the excise duty in petrol and diesel ahead of the by-poll results where the BJP lost in ruling states like Himachal Pradesh

New Delhi: Taking a dig at the Centre over the reduced excise duty of petrol and diesel, the Congress on Thursday said that the government was forced to do that step because of its poor performance in the recently held by-polls.

In a tweet, Congress Deputy leader in Lok Sabha, Gaurav Gogoi said that after months of claiming that the rise in the duty of petrol and diesel was to "pay for free vaccines", the BJP had to "swallow their hypocrisy" and partially roll back prices. "The people of India have got a minor reprieve. This was a day after Rahul Gandhi attacked the govt over inflation."

Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala tweeted: "Kudos to People for showing the "mirror of truth" to tax-parasitic Modi Govt! But do remember -After losing 14 by-elections & 2 Lok Sabhas, reducing Petrol-Diesel price by Rs 5 & Rs 10 is tom-tommed as a Diwali Gift' of Modi Ji!"

In May 2014, the price of petrol was Rs71.41 - diesel was Rs55.49/litre but crude Oil was USD105.71/barrel.

"Crude Oil is Rs 82/Barrel, When will the prices equate to the year 2014?Congress Govt-:Excise on Petrol - Rs9.48/liter Excise on Diesel - Rd3.56/liter," he added. He said still the excise on petrol is around 28 and on diesel, it's 22. After the slashed excise rates, the pump price of petrol in Delhi fell to Rs 103.97 a liter at 6 a.m. on Thursday from the previous day's level of Rs 110.04 a liter.

The diesel prices fell by a bigger margin to Rs86.67 a litre in the city from the earlier level of Rs98.42, according to a price notification of state-owned fuel retailers. In the financial capital Mumbai, petrol prices fell to Rs109.98 a litre from Rs115.85, while diesel fell to Rs94.14 a litre from Rs 106.62, which was also the highest among all metros.

Across the country as well, fuel prices fell between Rs 5-10 per litre after the Centre on Wednesday announced that the excise duty will be reduced by Rs5 for petrol and Rs10 for diesel from November 4. The cut is larger in some states such as Uttar Pradesh and Goa which have also announced VAT cuts on petrol and diesel.
(IANS)