Congress flays hike in excise duty on diesel, petrol

Attacking the government over hike in excise duty on petrol and diesel, the Opposition on Tuesday said the government is running the affairs by stealing money from pockets of the common man.

Raising the matter during Zero Hour, the Leader of Congress in Lok Sabha, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, said when global crude oil prices have fallen to USD 35 per barrel, the government has hiked excise rates for petrol and diesel.

"The government is stealing money from pockets of the common man to run the affairs. It is not passing on benefits of global price drop in crude price to the common man," Chowdhury said demanding response from the Finance Minister.

DMK's Dayanidihi Maran said the hike in excise was a "big loot".

The Congress, DMK members later staged a protest over the issue.

The hike in excise duty was also criticised by TMC's Saugata Roy during the Zero Hour.

He said the country is going through "economic sufferings" due to the policies of the government and yet the centre was not passing on the benefits of low crude oil to the people.

He said the government was estimated to raise Rs 39,000 crore due to the excise hike.

With the hike, the excise duty on petrol has risen to Rs 22.98 and that on diesel to Rs 18.08, Roy said.

Last week, the government hiked the excise on petrol and diesel by Rs 3. Later, Congress member Manish Tewari demanded a joint parliamentary committee on the the alleged collapse of the banks and non-banking financial companies.

With the hike, the excise duty on petrol has risen to Rs 22.98 and that on diesel to Rs 18.08, Roy said.