Opposition slams Govt over fuel price hike

Several Opposition parties on Friday attacked the Government over the hike in prices of petrol and diesel, warning that the move would worsen inflation and hamper economic growth.

The BJP, however, defended the hike, claiming that India managed to shield citizens from the global oil shock for more than two months while implementing only a “limited and calibrated” rise even as several countries witnessed steeper increases.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said the public was paying the price for the Modi Government’s “mistake” while party chief Mallikarjun Kharge slammed the Government, alleging that the country was facing an economic crisis due to a “leadership crisis, lack of vision and incompetence”.

The attack came as petrol and diesel prices were hiked by Rs 3 per litre each on Friday, marking the first increase in more than four years, as state-run fuel retailers passed on part of the hit from surging global crude prices triggered by the Iran war.

Alongside, CNG prices in cities like Delhi and Mumbai were raised by Rs 2 per kg.

Leading the Opposition attack on the Government, Rahul Gandhi said in a social media post in Hindi, “Galti Modi sarkaar ki, keemat janta chukayegi (The public will pay the price for the Modi Government’s mistake).”

“The Rs 3 shock has already arrived, the rest of the ‘vasooli (recovery)’ will be done in instalments,” the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha said.

Kharge said it was a Government-made crisis, the consequences of which the people of the country were bearing. “The people of the country must understand that, along with the international fuel crisis, the major reason for the economic crisis in India at this time is the Modi Government’s leadership crisis, lack of vision, and rampant incompetence,” he alleged.

Kharge said when diesel prices rise, inflation has a cascading effect across the country, adversely affecting everyone - from industries to household budgets and farmers.

Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said, “This is bound to lead to further inflation that is now projected to be close to 6 per cent for this financial year. Growth estimates will be lowered considerably.”

At a press conference, Congress leader Randeep Surjewala said the vicious design of the BJP Government was to raise prices every time on the conclusion of elections. Surjewala claimed that the Modi Government’s “devious and unrelenting” taxation of fuel over the last 11 years through its “cycle of loot was clearly exposed as it collected `43 lakh crore by taxing petrol and diesel, which amounted to Rs 1,000 crore every day.

The CPI-M Polit Bureau strongly condemned the Centre for raising petrol, diesel and CNG prices, saying the hike would impose a greater burden on the people already reeling under inflation, unemployment, stagnant wages and deepening economic distress. It demanded an immediate rollback of the increase and called upon its units to organise protests demanding the withdrawal of the hike.

The CPI also condemned the Government for the hike, saying it would push crores of Indians into deeper economic distress.

“This crisis is the outcome of Prime Minister Modi’s disastrous foreign policy... The Modi Government cannot run the country like a recovery agency for crony capitalists and foreign interests. The fuel price hikes must be rolled back immediately,” CPI secretary D Raja said, adding that it would raise the cost of transport, food, medicines and every essential commodity.

Hours after the hike, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav took a swipe at Modi’s call to conserve fuel, saying that the bicycle, the SP’s official election symbol, was the only alternative, seemingly emphasising that his party alone could offer a solution.

The Trinamool Congress accused the Centre of “cheating” citizens after the elections and presiding over a worsening economic situation.

Union minister G Kishan Reddy said in Hyderabad that the fuel price hike was unavoidable due to the global energy crisis and urged people to understand the circumstances behind the increase.

He alleged that the Opposition parties were trying to “provoke people” by inciting them through misinformation on the issue.

In a post on social media, BJP IT cell head Amit Malviya said India recorded one of the lowest increases among major economies, with petrol prices rising by 3.2 per cent and diesel by 3.4 per cent.

The BJP leader claimed that India’s public sector oil marketing companies, which account for nearly 90 per cent of the retail fuel market, absorbed a substantial portion of the increase in crude oil costs for 76 days after the West Asia crisis erupted.