‘Centre profiteering by imposing taxes on fuel’

The Congress on Sunday accused the Centre of profiteering by “mercilessly” imposing taxes on petrol and diesel, and demanded that the Narendra Modi government pass on the benefits of a fall in the international crude oil prices to people to provide relief to them from the “back-breaking inflation”.

In a statement in Hindi, Congress general secretary (in charge, communications) Jairam Ramesh said the Centre can give relief to people from the rising prices if it wants to by cutting the petrol and diesel rates by Rs 25-30 per litre through lowering the taxes to the level that existed under the previous UPA government and stop the ongoing “profiteering”.

“Our demand is that the Modi government should reduce the prices of petrol and diesel by 35 per cent, in line with the huge reduction in the international crude oil prices, and give the benefits of the record fall in the international crude oil prices to the people of the country, so that they get some relief from the back-breaking inflation,” he said.

People are facing an economic crisis due to inflation and unemployment, but the BJP-led government is engaged in “looting their hard-earned money”, Ramesh alleged. “Despite the low international crude oil prices, instead of giving its benefits to the people of the country, the Modi government is profiteering mercilessly by taxing petrol and diesel and selling cheap oil at a higher price,” the Congress leader said. The govt has not made profits itself over the prices of petrol and diesel, but has also benefitted its crony capitalist friends, he alleged. “Due to increase in taxes effected by Centre, the prices of petrol and diesel have gone up uncontrollably and the pockets of the poor, middle-class and employed people have been looted,” he further said.