‘Country at crossroads’: Sonia Gandi slams govt on fuel price hike, farmer stir

India is at a crossroads for the first time in its history and an “autocratic” and “insensitive” government is bent on imposing hardships on the poor, farmers and the middle class, Congress president Sonia Gandhi said Thursday attacking the BJP government over the increase in petrol prices and the continuing farmers’ agitation.

Gandhi demanded that the government slash the rates of excise duty on petrol and diesel.

“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 (farmers) had been staying put at 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,” Gandhi said in a statement.

Gandhi said that at a time when the economy is reeling under the impact of the pandemic, the Modi government is looking to fill its coffers. She said despite the prices of crude oil coming down, the government “has broken all records of profiteering by exorbitantly raising excise duty”.

She also asked the government to repeal the three farm laws immediately and fulfil all the demands of farmers. Former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi accused the government of “looting” the people by imposing heavy taxes on fuel.