Millions of Congress workers along with leaders, MPs, MLAs, MLCs; Frontal Organisations-Mahila Congress, Seva Dal, Youth Congress & NSUI, and Professional Congress workers all over the country today participated in the nationwide protests against the skyrocketing fuel prices and the economic mess in the country. Held following COVID guidelines, during these symbolic protests organised in front of petrol pumps, issues of spiralling prices of petrol-diesel-cooking gas; unprecedented economic slowdown; rampant unemployment and soaring prices of all essential commodities were highlighted by holding placards and banners by party volunteers.
These protests were held across the country from Jammu & Kashmir (barring few districts under lockdown) to every district in Kerala. Similarly, despite flood situation in some areas of Assam and other states of northeast the protests were held almost everywhere observing COVID-19 protocol, to Surat and Vadodra in Gujarat. Barring few incidents of police highhandedness in UP and Gujarat where Congress workers were stopped and detained these protests were peaceful and witnessed spontaneous support of people at large.
It was underlined that 140 crore people of India are suffering the Modi made disaster of inflation, unemployment, economic recession and Corona pandemic and everyday hike in fuel prices had further compounded the problems by making ends meet a challenge for every household in the country.
Drawing attention towards the issue, former Congress President, Shri Rahul Gandhi tweeted, “GDP crashing, Unemployment soaring, Fuel prices skyrocketing. In how many more ways is #BJPLootingIndia ?”
The careless and arrogant BJP Government is fleecing the people by not just raising fuel rates on a daily basis but is also refusing to pass on the benefits of low international crude prices to the consumers.Surprisingly, the extent of extortion and profiteering by repeated increase in prices and excise duty on petrol and diesel has surpassed all logical explanation.
In March 2020, the excise duty on petrol and diesel was increased by Rs. 3 per litre. In May 2020, Modi Government further increased the excise duty on diesel by Rs.13 per litre and on petrol by Rs.10 per litre.
Protesting along with senior leaders on a petrol pump in Delhi, Shri KC Venugopal Incharge Organisation, AICC, told the media that under the UPA government, the tax on petrol and diesel stood at Rs 9.20, which had now skyrocketed to Rs 32.
He demanded, “The government should stop imposing excise duty on petrol and diesel and bring them under the purview of Goods and Services Tax. We demand a complete rollback of fuel price hike”, he said.
In the last 13 months, the insensitive BJP Government had raised petrol and diesel rates by Rs 26.25 and Rs 24.46 per litre respectively. The Government has increased Petrol and Diesel prices on 45 occasions in the last five months in the current year 2021.
In the last 7 years, the BJP government has raised the prices of petrol and diesel to a record level by repeatedly increasing the taxes. The BJP government had increased excise duty by an additional ₹23.87 per litre on petrol and ₹28.37 on diesel in comparison to the 2014 prices under the then UPA government.
This amounts to a shocking 820% hike in excise duty on diesel and 258% increase in excise duty on petrol. The same in comparison used to be only Rs. 9.20 on petrol, per litre and Rs.3.46, on diesel, per litre in May, 2014.
The biggest proof of cheating the people of India of their hard- earned money lies in the fact that crude oil prices today are far cheaper in comparison to the UPA rule but the prices of both diesel and petrol are much higher than they were during that time. When the Congress led UPA government was in power( May 2014), the price of crude oil was US$ 108 per barrel, but petrol and diesel were being sold at Rs 71.41 and Rs 55.49 per litre. Yesterday, on June 10, 2021, the crude oil price was US$ 71 or Rs. 5182.70 per barrel. One barrel has 159 litres. Hence, the per litre crude oil price would be less than Rs. 33 per litre. As against this, the price of petrol-diesel is being sold at Rs 95.85 and Rs. 86.75 per litre respectively to consumers in Delhi. This is nothing but sheer profiteering at the cost of the common man and fleecing of people of India by the Modi Government.
The Modi Government has earned Rs.22,00,000 crore in the last seven years by increasing Excise Duty on Petrol and Diesel alone. In last one year ( between April 20 to April 21) of pandemic, it is estimated that the Modi Government has pocketed more than 3.5 lakh crore from our earnings by raising fuel prices.
AICC, General Secretary, Smt. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also hit out at the government for collecting high taxes on petrol but not using the money for people’s welfare. “Modi government collected taxes on petrol and diesel during the pandemic: Rs 2.74 lakh crore. What could have been done with this money – Vaccine for whole India (Rs 67000 crore) + Oxygen plants in 718 districts + AIIMS Hospitals in 29 States + Rs 6000 help each to 25 crores poor. But nothing was done,” said Smt. Priyanka Gandhi.
To add voice to the protest AICC Social Media Team also ran a hashtag #BJPLootingIndia. Many leaders and volunteers uploaded their videos demanding a rollback of fuel prices.
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. Today, when Congress party leaders and workers are protesting on the roads all over the country, it is estimated that in more than 130 cities prices of petroleum have already breached ₹ 100 marks.
In light of the above –
- The Indian National Congress demands complete roll back of the excise duty hike brought by the Modi Government on petrol and diesel during the last seven years.
- The benefit of reduced international crude oil prices should be passed on to the people and the rates of petrol-diesel be reduced accordingly.
- Petrol and diesel should be brought under the GST.