Fri. Mar 29th, 2024
Ajay Maken

Congress on Friday accused the Narendra Modi government of deliberately imposing increased price of fuels on the people to fill in their coffers. The party said that the international crude rates were low but the government has increased the fuel rates by levying the massive central excise duties and other taxes.

Congress has asked the Modi government to immediately make a course correction in the fuel prices or the opposition will call for a nationwide agitation. The opposition party has also demanded a white paper from the government on the taxes on fuels and the gains from them.

AICC spokesperson Ajay Maken at an official briefing attacked the actions taken by the Modi government in the past three years. He said that the ruling BJP under the leadership of Narendra Modi in the past 3 years has increased the central excise duty 11 times. Giving the details he added that the excise duty on petrol was 133.47% and  400.86 % on diesel.

Maken also stated that not just the petrol and diesel prices, but also the LPG and Kerosene prices were also hiked under the Modi government, not even sparing the poor. The prices of subsidised LPG cylinder was raised by 75 Rs and kerosene prices too have grown in double digits throughout this fiscal year, he added.

“While international crude oil prices have dropped by more than 52 %t since the NDA government took over on May 26, 2014, domestic petrol prices have skyrocketed to a 3-year-high,” Maken said. He alleged that at the cost of the pockets of the common man the Modi government is filling its treasure chest. “The BJP government earned a windfall of about Rs 2.5 lakh crore from a reduction in crude oil prices,” he said

He further informed that the total contribution of petroleum to the central and state treasury have crossed 5-lakh crore mark at Rs 5,24,304 crore in 2016-17. The former Union minister has warned the government to slash down the fuel prices or be ready to face a nationwide stir against the government.