Sonia Gandhi writes to PM Modi on fuel price hike, calls it 'a brazen act of profiteering'

Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi on Sunday wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to roll back the rising prices of petrol, diesel, and gas. She alleged that the Centre is making a profit by making people suffer in distressing times. 

The interim Congress president said, "On one hand, India is witnessing systematic erosion of jobs, wages, and household income. The middle class and those at the margins of our society are struggling. These challenges have been compounded by run-away inflation and an unprecedented rise in the price of almost all household items and essential commodities. Sadly, in these distressing times, the Government has chosen to profiteer off people's misery and suffering."

"Fuel prices are at a historic and unsustainable high. In fact, petrol has breached the Rs 100/liter mark in many parts of the country. The surging price of diesel has added to the escalating woes of millions of farmers. What baffles most citizens, is that these prices have been increased despite moderate prices of International crude oil. To put it in context, the crude oil price is nearly half of what it was during the UPA Government's tenure. Therefore, your government's act of raising prices is little less than a brazen act of profiteering," she added.

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Petrol prices rise

On Sunday, petrol prices hit Rs 97 in Mumbai while they cost Rs 90.58 in Delhi. Meanwhile, Diesel hit Rs 88.06 in Mumbai and Rs 80.97. Congress-ruled states like Madhya Pradesh, Chhatisgarh, Rajasthan, and several other Opposition ruled states have witnessed strikes and protests regarding the fuel price rise. Congress has demanded a nationwide slash in Central excise duty over fuel.

On Wednesday, while addressing an online event to inaugurate oil and gas projects in poll-bound Tamil Nadu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the middle-class would not have been burdened if the previous governments had focussed energy import dependence of the country. PM also informed that India imported over 85% of its oil needs in the 2019-20 financial year and nearly 53% of its gas requirement. Oil Minister Dharmendra Pradhan had told Parliament that the government is not considering a reduction in excise duty to cool rates from their record highs.  Central and state taxes make up for over 61 percent of the retail selling price of petrol and about 56 percent of diesel.

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(With ANI Inputs)