Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate on Saturday criticised Hardeep Singh Puri for his remarks against party leader Rahul Gandhi, saying he is acting like a "two-penny troll" even though he is a Union minister.
Hours after Puri claimed that Gandhi's statements have been proven wrong in the past, Shrinate said the petroleum minister should concentrate on bringing down fuel prices instead of being focussed on the Congress leader.
"There are some ministers, including Puri, in this government who have no utility as only two people are running it. They wait for Rahul Gandhi to say something or travel abroad so that their utility can be proved. Their utility is only this and that is why I call them two-penny trolls, even though I don't feel good saying that as he is a minister," she told reporters.
Shrinate said Puri should be concerned about the high fuel prices and questioned why LPG prices in India are the highest in the world despite global crude oil prices substantially declining.
"But his concern is what Rahul Gandhi has said. Rahul Gandhi is concerned about the people, the poor, youth, farmers, drivers, the people living in bastis (shanties) but the concern of some in the BJP is only about one person," the Congress leader said.
"The problem is that some ministers do not have any utility and their work is not running their ministries but running fake news and attacking Rahul Gandhi. If he (Puri) concentrated on his ministry a bit, he would not be speaking a lie like this," she said when asked about Puri's claim that fuel prices had not risen.
Shrinate said India was buying crude at USD 65 a barrel before the outbreak of the Ukraine war after which the prices rose. The prices have since declined to around USD 70-75 a barrel on an average but petrol and diesel prices in the country have not come down as they should have.
"The price of (crude) oil fell but petrol and diesel prices did not decline. What is this logic that petrol, diesel prices did not rise? Petrol, diesel prices in the country are deregulated and when global crude oil prices fall, we buy petrol and diesel at lower prices. Crude oil prices are falling but petrol, diesel prices have not come down," she said.
The Congress leader alleged that the government has made a profit from everyone and is now giving relief by claiming that it did not raise prices.
"What favour have you done as you should have reduced the prices and you are still making profits. Had the minister taken care of his department, he would not have given such a justification. But his attention is somewhere else," Shrinate said.
Puri on Saturday said oil companies would be in a position to look at the issue of reducing petrol and diesel prices if the international cost of crude remains stable and the firms have a good next quarter.
The Narendra Modi-led government ensured that there has been no rise in fuel prices since April 2022, the BJP leader said and noted that it will make certain that consumers suffer no hardship.
Addressing a press conference at the BJP headquarters here to mark the Modi government's nine years in power, Puri also attacked Gandhi for his remarks on the Rafale deal and other issues, saying politics is all about credibility and claimed that the Congress leader's statements have been proven false in the past.
He "suddenly remembers" the condition of minorities during his visits abroad, Puri said and noted that the 1983 Nellie massacre of Muslims and the 1984 killings of Sikhs occurred during Congress rule.
The minister cited growth in the infrastructure sector under the Modi government to mock the former Congress president's jibe at the Centre that it is always looking into the rearview mirror to blame others.
"His eyesight should be checked. He may be wearing the wrong glasses," the minister said, noting that the Indian economy has risen to fifth position globally from tenth under the UPA government and citing other development figures.
To questions on whether a reduction in fuel prices was under consideration, he said he was not in a position to make an announcement on the issue.
"As we go along we will see what can be done," the minister said.
He said state-run oil marketing companies did "okay" in the last quarter.
"They have recovered some of their losses. They have been very good corporate citizens. As we go along we will see what can be done," he said.
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