Congress to hit streets over high fuel prices

New Delhi: The Congress on Friday hit out at the Central government for steep increase in Central excise duty on petrol and diesel and threatened to launch a nationwide agitation against the BJP government.

Leading the charge, Congress spokesperson Ajay Maken demanded that the Central government should immediately bring out a white paper on fuel taxes and gains made by the government and said the party would agitate across the country.

The agitation would start on September 20 from the national capital.

“The Congress will launch a nationwide agitation against this burdening of the common man with increased taxes and flooding the coffers of the government,” Mr Maken told the media.

We would start a signature campaign at petrol pumps in the national capital from September 17, he said.

He said the party would fight this battle to reduce taxes on every available forum and challenged the BJP to come out with a white paper on taxes on fuels and the gains thereof.

“We will fight for the people, tooth and nail, until this draconian taxation regime is withdrawn,” he told reporters.

The Delhi Congress chief said burning holes in the pockets of the common people has become the benchmark of governance for the BJP.

“Looting people, profiteering at their expense and squeezing their hard earned money is the sole aim of the BJP government. While crude oil prices plummet, petrol-diesel prices skyrocket!” he said.

On Wednesday there will be a massive protest by the Congress a jantar Mantar in New Delhi against the taxes on fuel. While all state units of the Congress will also be doing protests in their respective state capitals. Congress accused the central government of raising Central Excise duty 11 times in past 3.5 years -133.47% on Petrol and 400.86% on Diesel. Ajay Maken further added that the prices of subsidized LPG cylinders have been increased by Rs. 75 in the last three and a half years.

The Congress chided the government and the BJP that when in opposition it had termed the UPA government as ‘economic terrorist’. Now with the fuel prices rising the party demanded whether the NDA government should also be termed as ‘economic terrorist’. Ajay Maken also said, “Since 26 May 2014, International Crude Oil prices have come down by more than by 52%. On 26 May 2014, crude oil was prevailing at US$ 108.05 a barrel. On 11 September 2017, crude oil prices came down to US$ 52.73 a barrel.” Hence claiming that there was no rationale behind the rising prices of fuel.  The party also charged the government for giving absurd reasons like ‘Hurricane Harvey and Irma’ on the increase of petrol and diesel prices. Congress is also looking at other opposition parties to take on the government for this rise in fuel prices