The State Congress chief Pritam Singh has dubbed the State Government’s claim of reducing the prices of petrol and diesel ‘a bundle of lies’ meant to hoodwink the people. In a statement released on Friday, Singh said that though the Trivendra Singh Rawat Government is making tall claims about reduction in prices of petrol and diesel by Rs 5 per litre nothing has changed on the ground.
Buttressing his point, he said that a visit to a fuel pump would expose the hollowness of the claim.
He said that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders are unfortunately showing their shamelessness while harping on lies. He said that if the State Government has reduced taxes as being claimed things should show up on the ground. “The Government should clarify its stand on the issue as the fuel pump owners have not cut down the rates of diesel and petrol as claimed by the Government,” he said.
Blaming the Narendra Modi Government for the spiralling prices of fuel, the State Congress chief said that while the international prices of crude oil had been at their lowest in the past four years the Modi Government had taken no initiative to reduce the burden on the common people by reducing the prices of petrol, diesel and cooking gas accordingly.
He said that while the crude oil price was 147 dollar per barrel during the Congress-helmed UPA Government it came down to 34 dollar per barrel during the NDA rule. “But the people were not benefited by the reduction in the international crude oil prices,” he said.
He alleged that the Modi Government had looted common people to the tune of Rs 11 lakh crores by refusing to slash fuel prices accordingly. Terming the Centre’s declaration of cutting down as too little too late, Singh said that the State Government should ensure that the tax cut as declared by it is effective to benefit the people.