Congress on Tuesday demanded a reduction in diesel prices as there has been a substantial drop in international crude oil rates. On the eve of the crucial Assembly elections in Maharashtra and Haryana, the party also charged the NDA Government of “turning a blind eye” to the inflation.
“The price of diesel should be brought down to its 2010 level. BJP should bring down the price of diesel to its December 2010 levels. It would be a strong anti-inflationary step, but the government is profiteering from international trends,” claimed AICC spokesperson Ajoy Kumar. Kumar warned the government that Congress would launch nationwide protests if diesel prices were not brought down immediately.
Kumar rejected as mere eyewash the claims by BJP leaders of reducing diesel prices and accused the government of misleading people by taking credit for bringing down prices by 50 paise or Rs 1 while oil companies were being allowed to make "obnoxious" profits.
Congress claimed that crude oil rates in the international market were at a 46-month low at Rs 5,375.30 per barrel down from Rs 6,318.76 on May 26 this year. Despite that, diesel prices in the country have increased by Rs 2.26 since that time, he said.