Congress slams Modi Government for hike in fuel prices, just a few days after poll results

The Congress on Tuesday flayed the BJP-led Modi government for increasing the fuel prices, just a few days after the Assembly poll results were announced on March 10.

Addressing media persons in Delhi, Congress leader Anand Sharma said: "The government has earned Rs 26 lakh crore by raising the central excise duty. Increase in LPG prices have burdened the households."

"The government was just waiting for the election results to be out. Once again, they have done, what they have been doing for the past eight years, hurting the poor without any justification," Anand Sharma alleged.

"When you look at the price of crude oil in the international market, it was $108 per barrel on Monday. During the Manmohan Singh government, prior to Prime Minister Narendra Modi taking over the reins of the government, the crude oil price per barrel was same - $108. However, there is a sharp contrast between the fuel prices in India then and now despite the same prices of crude," he claimed. During the Manomhan Singh government, in Delhi, prices of petrol and diesel were Rs 69 and Rs 60 respectively. With the price hike by the state-owned oil marketing companies, the price of petrol and diesel in the national capital has been increased by 80 paise per litre.

As per pump prices, petrol now costs Rs 87.47 per litre and diesel Rs 96.21 per litre in the national capital.

"When the previous governments could manage without hurting the poor, what justification this government has for the hike," the Congress leader asked.

"The Union government has mismanaged the economy and whenever it wants to raise some money, it burdens the common man," he alleged.

He said the grand-old party will continue to raise voice of the poor.