New Delhi: Senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram took a dig at BJP’s claim that the Centre was looking at ways to arrest the hike in fuel prices. Mr Chidambaram said that the BJP might have found a way to get ‘free’ crude oil.
“Government says will not cut fuel prices. BJP president says ‘Centre will soon arrest fuel prices’. BJP must have found a crude oil source that will supply crude oil for free!” Mr. Chidamb-aram said in a tweet.
The ruling party has repeatedly said the rise in fuel prices to record levels is outside of its control. It has blamed the international financial scenario and the rising prices of crude oil for the jump in domestic fuel prices. BJP national president Amit Shah had said that the Centre was concerned about the rising fuel prices and will come out with a solution soon.
Petrol price last week touched Rs 81.63 per litre in New Delhi and Rs 89.01 per litre in Mumbai. Diesel prices rose to Rs 73.54 per litre in Delhi and Rs 78.07 per litre in Mumbai.
The Congress along with several Opposition parties had participated in a nationwide bandh to protest against the rising prices of fuel on September 10. The party has accused the Center of faulty economic policies that have led to an ‘unprecedented rise’ in the price of petroleum products.
Congress has also dema-nded that petroleum products should be brought under the ambit of GST to provide relief to the common man. Attacking the government for its claims that black money has been wiped out by demonetisation and GST, Mr. Chidam-baram cited chief election commissioner O.P.
Rawat’s statement that democracy was under threat from black money.
