Petrol, diesel prices rise; Congress blames government for excessive taxation

Petrol and diesel prices were hiked on Wednesday by 5 paise and Rs 1.26, respectively.

The Congress on Wednesday launched a scathing attack on both the BJP-led central government and the AAP-led Delhi government, blaming them for the "high petroleum prices".

"Currently on Rs 100 of petrol, consumers are paying Rs 54 as tax and on Rs 100 of diesel Rs 47 as tax. During UPA regime the tax on petrol was Rs 31 and on diesel it was Rs 19.53," said senior Congress spokesperson Ajay Maken while addressing a press conference at the party headquarters here.

"During UPA regime the price of crude oil was about $108 per barrel, and currently the same oil is $58 a barrel. But despite such reduction in prices the government has made mind-boggling increase in VAT and excise taxes in petroleum products that has kept the prices high for a common man," Maken said.

He said the previous United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government managed to keep prices under control despite the fact that crude had touched $142 per barrel when they were in power.

"The Kejriwal government hiked VAT on petroleum products twice, first from 12 % to 16.26 % and then 18 %. Similarly the excise duty too was raised from 20 % to 25 % and then to 27 %," Maken said, insisting that both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal were "insensitive" to the problems that inflation is causing to the common man.

"Congress party would like to ask Mr. Modi and Mr. (Arun) Jaitley to kindly tell who are responsible for the unprecedented inflation. Is it the opposition or the farmers who are committing suicides or some bad omen which Modiji got along with him when he came to power," Maken said, taunting the economic policies of the Central government.

He added that consumer food price inflation at 7.55 % in May has hit a 21-month high.

"Tomatoes are being sold at Rs 100 a kg and price of pulses are skyrocketing at over Rs 170 per kg, and this has happened due to failure of economic policies of the Modi government," Maken said.

Congress also blamed the government for failing to keep a tab on hoarders and black marketeers.