Opposition parties have slammed the Centre for the continuous hike in the fuel prices from the past few days.
The fuel prices were hiked by 40 paise a litre each on Monday, taking the total increase in rates in the last two weeks to ₹8.40 per litre.
Criticising the Centre for increasing the fuel prices, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi tweeted, “Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan LOOT Yojana.”
Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan LOOT Yojana pic.twitter.com/OQPiV4wXTq
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) April 4, 2022
Punjab’s ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) accused the Centre of “looting” the public due to the “exponential” rise in the fuel prices.
“By constantly increasing the prices of petrol and diesel just after the Assembly elections in five states, the Modi government is looting the general public,” Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema said. He also said that people are “already facing the brunt of inflation” and many people are not being able to afford even the essential items.
“It is very unfortunate that instead of providing relief to the public in such times, the central government is increasing the troubles of the common people by increasing the prices of petrol-diesel, cooking gas and other essential items,” Cheema said in a statement.
“He (Modi) pressured the oil companies not to increase prices to fool the public and took electoral advantage of it. Now after winning the elections, they are showing their true anti-people colours,” Cheema alleged.
Meanwhile, former Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu also hit out at the Centre for the rising prices of fuel.
“Diesel goes up 10% in thirteen days … prices go up directly proportionally! Has the MSP of farmers and daily wages of the labourer gone up in the same proportion? 90 % Indians suffer as the value of there earnings depreciates…Govt turns blind eye,” Sidhu said in a tweet.
Diesel goes up 10% in thirteen days … prices go up directly proportionally ! Has the MSP of farmers and daily wages of the labourer gone up in the same proportion? 90 % Indians suffer as the value of there earnings depreciates … Govt turns blind eye 👁
— Navjot Singh Sidhu (@sherryontopp) April 3, 2022
Meanwhile, in Karnataka, former CM Siddaramaiah, in a joint press conference with KPCC president DK Shivakumar, said that though the BJP government claims that oil companies are autonomous bodies and increase fuel prices based on international crude oil prices, the Modi-led government at the Centre was “manipulating oil companies”.
“Oil companies had last raised fuel prices in November 2021 and it was not increased till the end of March 2022 keeping elections to five states in mind. Now, prices of petrol and diesel have increased by ₹7.2 per litre in the last 12 days. Then, how can we say that the government has no control over the oil companies in deciding the prices?” thundered Siddaramaiah. “Why did the oil companies not increase prices between November, 2021 and March 2022 even when the crude oil prices spiked internationally?” he asked.
Also read: Fuel prices hiked again by 40 paise, total increase stands at ₹8.40 in 13 days
Siddaramaiah also called out the centre for the rise in domestic LPG price by ₹50 and commercial LPG by ₹250.
The Congress leaders also spoke about increase in the prices of fertilisers, farm equipment and also essential medicines by almost 10 per cent.
“BJP is misleading people to divert their attention from the issues of fuel price hike, inflation, unemployment, and farmers’ plight. The BJP’s main weapon to divert people’s attention is raking up communally sensitive issues and instilling venomous thoughts in people,” Siddaramaiah added.
Shivakumar said that the Congress state unit will hold statewide protests over inflation and skyrocketing fuel prices.