Opposition parties on Tuesday blamed the Bharatiya Janata Party-led central government for the increase in prices of fuel across the country for the 10th straight day. Congress leader P Chidambaram attributed the “relentless rise in prices” to excessive taxes on petrol and diesel. “If taxes are cut, prices will decline significantly,” he said.
The former finance minister also demanded that petrol and diesel be brought within the ambit of the Goods and Services Tax.
The price of petrol increased to an all-time high of Rs 86.72 per litre in Mumbai on Tuesday, up 16 paise from the day before. The price of the fuel rose by the same amount in Delhi to Rs 79.31, and in Kolkata it cost Rs 82.22 a litre. Diesel prices also breached the record highs set on Monday.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said the Bharatiya Janata Party government did not care about people’s problems. “BJP’s Central govt, in its last months, either does not know what to do or is simply not bothered about the hardships it is heaping on Aam Aadmi. Economy was never in such a mess,” tweeted the Aam Aadmi Party leader.
Prices of everything are on the rise, not just of fuel, Congress leader Ahmed Patel told ANI. “But the government claims there is growth and the share market is growing,” he said.
Telugu Desam Party MP Jayadev Galla questioned the government’s “Achche Din” pre-poll promise and said the increase in fuel prices, along with the rupee hitting an all-time low against the dollar, were “burning a hole in the common man’s pocket”. The currency on Monday had tumbled to a record closing low of 71.21.
TDP President Chandrababu Naidu also blamed the government’s faulty policies for the fuel price rise and the weakening rupee on Monday, reported the Hindustan Times. “The value of rupee is falling down rapidly with every passing day,” he said. “I am not surprised if it touches Rs 100 per dollar in the coming days. The prices of petrol and diesel are shooting up steeply and very soon, the price of petrol might touch Rs 100 per litre.”
Meanwhile, former BJP leader Yashwant Sinha criticised Opposition parties for not holding public protests on the issue. “Why are they not hitting the streets?” he asked. “What are they waiting for?”
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