Difficult for middle class to travel even by road: Priyanka Gandhi slams govt on rising fuel prices

The Congress general secretary's attack on the government came over auto fuels now costing a third more than the rate at which ATF is sold to airlines

With petrol and diesel prices soaring much above that of jet fuel, Congress on Monday targeted the Narendra Modi government with Rahul Gandhi calling it "tax extortion" and Priyanka Gandhi mocking the dispensation saying it has now become difficult for the middle class to travel even by road when the 'hawai chappal' class were promised of cheaper air travel.

Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi tagged a media report on auto fuel costing at least 33 per cent more than the rate at which air turbine fuel is sold and said it was a "very serious issue".

"Simple needs of the people that are not being fulfilled today come before election-vote-politics. I am with the people who are being cheated for the benefit of Modi's friends and will continue to raise their voices," he tweeted in Hindi with a hashtag "Stop #TaxExtortion".

Also Read | Fuel rates hiked again, petrol at Rs 105.84/litre in Delhi

Congress General Secretary Priyanka tweeted in Hindi, "(the government) had promised that those wearing 'Hawai chappals' (slippers) will travel by airplane. But the BJP government has hiked the prices of petrol and diesel so much that now it has become difficult for those wearing 'hawai chappals' and the middle class to travel even by road."

She used the hashtag 'BJP lai mehenge din (BJP has brought expensive days)'.

From its official handle, Congress tweeted that the truth behind the claim made by Prime Minister Modi to create a 'New India' is now coming to the fore. "The common people have to pay the price for making the much hyped 'New India'," it said.

In another tweet, it said, "The living proof of the Modi government's loot is that petrol is costlier than the fuel of the aircraft. The mass loot program of the Modi government is taking a toll on the people of the country, looting the hard earned money. Now this loot should be stopped."

On Sunday, the prices of petrol and diesel were hiked by 35 paise crossing Rs 100-mark in several cities, which was almost 33 per cent more than the cost of air turbine fuel used for planes.

The price of petrol in Delhi rose to its highest-ever level of Rs 105.84 a litre and Rs 111.77 per litre in Mumbai. In Mumbai, diesel now comes for Rs 102.52 a litre; while in Delhi, it costs Rs 94.57.

The ATF in Delhi costs Rs 79,020.16 per kilolitre or Rs 79 per litre.

Check out latest DH videos here