16 September,2024 02:07 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondent
Mallikarjun Kharge. File Pic
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday accused the Centre of carrying out a "fuel loot" despite a reduction in crude oil prices and said election-going states shall defeat BJP by rejecting the "Modi-induced price rise".
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said crude oil prices have reduced by 32.5 per cent, yet BJP's "fuel loot continues".
"Election-going states shall defeat BJP & reject this Modi-induced price rise!" Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said in a post in X.
"On May 16, 2014 (Delhi) - Crude per barrel was USD 107.49. Petrol - Rs 71.51. Diesel - Rs 57.28. On September 16, 2024 - Crude per barrel is USD 72.48, yet Petrol - Rs. 94.72. Diesel - Rs 87.62," the Congress chief said.
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"Ideally, according to current crude oil prices, petrol should cost Rs 48.27, diesel should cost Rs 69.00," Kharge said.
"No wonder, in 10 years and 100 days, the Modi government has robbed people of Rs 35 Lakh crore by taxing fuel!" he said.
Trinamool Congress leader Derek O'Brien on Monday questioned why petrol prices in India are not decreasing despite a decline in global crude oil prices.
In a post on X, the Rajya Sabha MP said the crude oil prices have come down by around 24 per cent in last ten years, but petrol price in India has gone up by 30 per cent.
In August 2014, crude oil was priced USD 102 per barrel and petrol price was Rs 73, while in August 2024, crude oil is at USD 78 per barrel, and yet petrol price is Rs 95, he said.
"Why are petrol prices in India not decreasing despite a decline in global crude oil prices?" wrote O'Brien, TMC's parliamentary party leader in the Rajya Sabha.
"In the last 10 years, crude oil price down by nearly 24 percent, but petrol price in India increased by 30 percent," he said.
"Windfall profits of oil companies are not being passed on to consumers," the TMC leader added.
Petrol, diesel prices in India were last revised ahead of the general election in March when it was reduced by Rs. 2, after being stagnant for about two years.
Last week, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas Secretary Pankaj Jain, speaking to reporters on the sidelines of an event, had said oil companies will be taking appropriate decisions on reducing fuel prices if international oil prices were to stay low for an extended period.
