Sonia Gandhi
HITTING OUT at the BJP government over the latest increase in petrol and diesel prices, Congress president Sonia Gandhi Tuesday accused the Centre of “profiteering” off the people and said the fuel price hikes are saddling them with an additional burden of “enormous magnitude” that is neither justified nor appropriate.
In a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Gandhi requested the increases in fuel prices be rolled back so that the benefit of low oil prices can be passed on to the people. “If you wish for them to be ‘self-reliant’, then do not place financial fetters on their ability to move forward… Please use the government’s resources to put money directly into the hands of those who need it in this time of severe hardship,” she said.
“I am deeply distressed that in these exceedingly difficult times since the beginning of March, the government has taken the wholly insensitive decision to increase petrol and diesel prices on no less than 10 separate occasions,” she said.
“Your government is seeking to earn an additional revenue of nearly Rs 2,60,000 crore by these ill-advised hikes in excise duty and increases in the petrol of diesel. As it is, people across the board are facing unimaginable hardships and what to say of widespread fear and insecurity. These price increases are saddling our people with an additional burden…” she said.