New Delhi: In Delhi, petrol prices have been hiked by 19 paise per litre and diesel by 21 paise, leading to Rs 90.74 and Rs 81.12 per litre respectively. While in Mumbai, the prices are Rs 97.12 and Rs 88.19 per litre for petrol and diesel respectively.
When asked about the matter, Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate replied to ETV Bharat, "There is a disconnect in this matter. We had earlier predicted that the petrol and diesel prices will once again rise after the assembly elections get over. Exactly the same thing occurred."
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The record-high fuel price hike had become an electoral issue during the Assembly polls in 5 states due to which State-owned OMCs had to halt the upward price revisions at the end of February.
Raising this concern, Supriya Shrinate said, "This consecutive rise in petrol and diesel prices was expected. This is what they are capable of doing. Instead of bringing relief to the people who are fighting the pandemic they have actually brought more grief to the people by rising petrol and diesel prices which have a spiralling effect."
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She further alleged, "The wholesale price inflation numbers have crossed 9 percent in the month of April and instead of taming prices, they are breaking the backs of people as the rise in petrol and diesel prices will have a spiralling effect on vegetable oil, edible oil and other things. This Government is known to be insensitive. They kept quiet when the elections were on, and now they have gone ahead. Let's see where these prices will land."
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi also tweeted over the matter, saying, "Elections over, loot begins," followed by #PetrolDieselPriceHike.
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While Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot alleged, "As long as the Assembly Elections were underway in 5 states, the Modi Government did not make any changes in the prices of petrol and diesel, while the crude oil prices were changing daily in the international market."
He further added, "As soon as the results of the elections came, the central government increased the price of petrol and diesel and started putting the burden on the people who are already affected by the pandemic. The Modi government is charging many times more tax on diesel, petrol than the UPA government, due to which inflation is continuously increasing."
In the month of February, when the country was witnessing a steep hike in fuel prices, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had said, "It's a vexatious issue in which no answer except for fall in fuel price will convince anyone. Both Centre and State should talk to bring down retail fuel price at a reasonable level for consumers."
