Opposition slams petrol, diesel price hike; demand roll back

Opposition parties on Saturday lashed out at the Modi government over the increase in excise duty on petrol and diesel at a time when global crude prices were on a slide.

Congress accused the Centre of “looting” the common man by increasing the excise duty on petrol and diesel and demanded an immediate roll-back of prices of the fuel to the 2004 level when crude cost 35 dollars to a barrel.

“In dollar terms, the international crude oil prices are down to the level of June-July 2004, when the petrol, diesel and LPG were available at Rs 35.71, Rs 22.74 and Rs 281.60 per cylinder respectively, which were quite cheap in comparison to the present rates,” Congress spokesman Ajay Maken told reporters here.

CPI(M) Polit Bureau also slammed the increase in excise as a “criminal assault” on the people who were already “suffering under economic recession” and demanded an immediate roll-back of the same.

The Left party said that given the fall in international crude prices, it would have been in the fitness of things if the benefit of the fall in prices were passed on to the already overburdened consumer.

“Retail prices must be lowered to levels corresponding to the fall in the international prices, i.e. by 30%,” the CPI(M) said.

AAP hit out at the Modi government over hike in excise in petrol and diesel and demanded immediate roll-back.

“It is cheaper to fly an aeroplane than driving a car,” AAP leader Raghav Chaddha told reporters here pointing out that the aviation turbine fuel was cheaper than petrol and diesel.

“The AAP demands that the Centre should give the complete benefit of the decreased price of crude oil in the global market and they should give the petrol in Rs 39.76 per litre and diesel in Rs 31.58 per litre,” Chadha said.