Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Thursday attacked the Modi authorities over the continued farmer agitation and the hike in gasoline costs, and mentioned the nation is at present standing on the crossroads for the primary time since Independence.
On the hike in gasoline costs, she accused the federal government of profiteering and mentioned it’s turning a catastrophe into a chance to fill its coffers.
She additionally alleged that the federal government is breaking the again of the poor, the farmers, and the center class resulting from its “insensitivity”.
“I demand from the federal government that the charges of excise responsibility on petrol and diesel be made like that in the course of the UPA regime and supply quick reduction to the affected folks.
“I once again appeal to the government to repeal the three farm laws immediately and fulfil all the demands of farmers,” she mentioned in a press release.
Congress chief Rahul Gandhi additionally accused the federal government of “looting” the folks by imposing heavy taxes on gasoline and alleged that that is the explanation it isn’t bringing them beneath the purview of the Goods and Services Tax (GST).
“There has been unprecedented ‘development’ in prices of petrol and diesel. The Modi government is looting the public by charging heavy taxes on fuel. This is the reason why the government is not willing to bring petrol-diesel under GST,” he mentioned in a tweet in Hindi.
Sonia Gandhi mentioned within the midst of a collapsing financial system as a result of coronavirus pandemic, the Modi authorities is attempting to show the catastrophe as a chance to fill its coffers.
She mentioned whereas the worth of crude oil is USD 50.96 per barrel — simply Rs 23.43 per litre internationally — diesel is being bought for Rs 74.38 and petrol at Rs 84.20 per litre within the nationwide capital.
This is the best within the final 73 years, she alleged.
“The country is standing at the crossroads today for the first time in the history of independent India. On one hand, the country’s ‘annadata’ is standing on the borders of Delhi for the last 44 days in support of their legitimate demands, while the country’s autocratic, insensitive and ruthless BJP government is busy breaking the back of the poor, farmers and middle class,” she mentioned in a press release.
The Congress chief mentioned regardless of decrease worldwide costs, the federal government has damaged all information of profiteering by exorbitantly elevating excise responsibility as a substitute of passing on the advantages to frequent folks.
In the final six-and-a-half years, the Modi authorities has elevated excise responsibility to recuperate about Rs 19,00,000 crore from the pockets of frequent folks, she mentioned.
She additionally mentioned that the BJP authorities has elevated the worth of gasoline cylinders that has damage the funds of each family.
Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala additionally demanded that the federal government rolls again the gasoline value hike and assist present reduction to the frequent man by lowering the taxes on gasoline.
He additionally urged the federal government to take again the farm legal guidelines and comply with the calls for of farmers, who took out a tractor rally round Delhi in help of their calls for.
“Modi ji, if you still do not agree, then your ego and autocracy will lead to the downfall of your anti-people government,” he mentioned.
“To the blind and deaf government, this is the strength of the organisation of the ‘annadata’. Realising the seriousness of this farmers’ struggle in the fierce cold, immediately withdraw all three black laws,” he mentioned in a tweet in Hindi and shared a few of the photos of the farmers’ tractor rally.
“The Modi government that came to power by making promises of providing cheap petrol and diesel, if it withdraws the ‘excise duty’ imposed by it in the last 6.5 years, the public will be largely benefitted. Then, petrol will sell at Rs 60.42 per litre and diesel at Rs 46.01 per litre. But it will not do so. This is a game of loot,” he additionally mentioned.
He accused the federal government of “fleecing” folks, profiteering from the miseries of frequent folks and decimating the budgets of the poor. “This has become the mantra of the Modi government,” he alleged.
“The Congress demands that the Modi government immediately rolls back the excise duty on petrol and diesel and give relief to the common people already facing the vagaries of insurmountable inflation as also the economic slowdown and recession,” Surjewala mentioned.
Petrol value on Thursday scaled to an all-time excessive of Rs 84.20 per litre within the nationwide capital after state-owned gasoline retailers hiked charges for the second day in a row.
Petrol value on Thursday was hiked by 23 paise per litre and diesel by 26 paise a litre, based on a value notification from oil advertising corporations.
In Delhi, petrol now prices Rs 84.20 per litre and diesel is priced at Rs 74.38. In Mumbai, petrol comes for Rs 90.83 a litre and diesel for Rs 81.07.
This is the best ever value of petrol in Delhi, whereas diesel is at document excessive in Mumbai. PTI SKC
