Give benefit of reduced international crude oil prices to people, roll back fuel prices: Congress to Centre

The Congress has demanded that the government should pass on the benefit of reduced international crude oil prices to the people by reducing the hiked rates of petrol-diesel-LPG gas post March 5, 2020. It also asked the government to bring petrol and diesel under the ambit of GST.

In a statement issued on Friday, Randeep Singh Surjewala, General Secretary, AICC pointed out that the government had increased petrol and diesel 14 and 13 times respectively in the last 16 days since November 19, 2020.

“In May, 2014 (when BJP assumed power), Excise Duty on petrol was Rs.9.20 per litre and on diesel it was Rs.3.46 per litre. In the last six years, the Union government has increased the Excise Duty on petrol by an additional 23.78 per litre and on diesel by an additional Rs.28.37 per litre. This is a shocking 820% hike in Excise Duty on diesel and 258% increase in Excise Duty on petrol,” he said, adding that the Modi government has earned Rs.19,00,000 crore in the last six & half years by increasing Excise Duty on petrol and diesel alone.

“Since the lockdown eight months ago, the extent of extortion and profiteering by repeated increases in prices and Excise Duty on petrol and diesel has surpassed all forms of exploitation,” Surjewala said.

“The biggest proof of cheating the people of India and bleeding their hard-earned money can be gauged from the fact that crude oil prices is far less as compared to the UPA rule but the diesel and petrol prices are much higher than the UPA rates. On 3 December, 2020, the crude oil price was US$ 48.18 or Rs. 3560.46 per barrel. One barrel has 159 litres. Hence, the per litre crude oil price would be Rs. 22.39 per litre. As against this, the price of petrol-diesel has crossed Rs 83 and Rs. 73 per litre respectively, establishing sheer profiteering and fleecing of people of India by the Modi government,” he said.

Here is the full text of the statement:

The entire nation and its 130 crore people are fighting the Corona pandemic today. The people were expecting some kind of relief and economic assistance in these challenging times, but the BJP government is fleecing the people by not just raising fuel rates on daily basis but also refusing to share benefits of lower crude with the people. The cruel government is raising petrol and diesel rates on a daily basis, while charging very high excise duty on petrol and diesel. The government has increased petrol and diesel 14 and 13 times respectively in the last 16 days since November 19, 2020.

The consistent rise in prices of petrol and diesel by the Modi government is adding to the people’s woes. Indian National Congress demands the complete roll back of the Excise Duty hike effected by the Modi Government on petrol and diesel during the corona period. Similarly, the

Indian Oil Corporation has recently increased the prices of non-subsidised liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinders by Rs 50.

The repeated and unjust increase in the prices as also the Central Excise Duty on petrol and diesel has inflicted insurmountable pain and suffering on the people of India.

Here are some hard facts about petrol and diesel hike: -

1. In May, 2014 (when BJP assumed power), Excise Duty on petrol was Rs.9.20 per litre and on diesel it was Rs.3.46 per litre. In the last six years, the Union government has increased the Excise Duty on petrol by an additional 23.78 per litre and on diesel by an additional Rs.28.37 per litre. This is a shocking 820% hike in Excise Duty on diesel and 258% increase in Excise Duty on petrol.

2. Modi Government has earned Rs.19,00,000 crore in last six & half years by increasing Excise Duty on petrol and diesel alone.

3. Since the lockdown eight months ago, the extent of extortion and profiteering by repeated increases in prices and Excise Duty on petrol and diesel has surpassed all forms of exploitation.

On 5th March 2020, excise duty on petrol and diesel was increased by Rs.3 per litre. On 5th of May 2020, Modi government increased the Excise Duty on diesel by Rs.13 per litre and on petrol by Rs.10 per litre.

4. The biggest proof of cheating the people of India and bleeding their hard- earned money can be gauged from the fact that crude oil prices is far less as compared to the UPA rule but the diesel and petrol prices are much higher than the UPA rates. On 3 December, 2020, the crude oil price was US$ 48.18 or Rs. 3560.46 per barrel. One barrel has 159 litres. Hence, the per litre crude oil price would be Rs. 22.39 per litre. As against this, the price of petrol-diesel has crossed Rs 83 and Rs. 73 per litre respectively, establishing sheer profiteering and fleecing of people of India by the Modi government.

5. When Congress-UPA government was in power, price of crude oil was US$ 108 per barrel, but petrol and diesel was at Rs 71.41 and Rs 55.49 per litre, which have increased to Rs 83.13 and Rs 73.32 in Delhi today despite the crude oil being far less than the half of UPA rates. If we consider the international price of crude oil, which has fallen to US$ 48.18 per barrel as on December 3, 2020 i.e. a decline of 56%. Despite this, BJP government has raised the prices of petrol-diesel to sky high.

The Congress Party demands -

1. The benefit of reduced international crude oil prices should be passed on to the people and the rates of petrol-diesel-LPG gas be reduced accordingly.

2. Petrol and diesel should be brought under the GST.

3. INC urges upon the government to immediate roll back the petrol-diesel prices and Excise Duty hike post 5th March, 2020 and pass on this benefit to the people of India in these difficult times.