Central Government under attack over petrol price hike

NEW DELHI/ VARANASI/ PATNA/ MUMBAI - The Central Government on Sunday faced all round criticism for increasing the retail prices of petrol.

State-owned oil companies had hiked petrol prices on Saturday by Rs. 2.50 - Rs. 2.54 per litre, the second hike in a month, due to rising global crude oil prices.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) asked the Central government to reduce taxes on petroleum products to ease the burden of the common man reeling under record inflation.

“You see the international price of petrol. The price of petrol has gone up due to taxes imposed on petrol to benefit the companies. It is only the Government of India, which imposes so many taxes on petrol; no other government in the world imposes so many taxes,” said Navjot Singh Sidhu, BJP leader.

“If it (taxes) are reduced, then relatively, everything is attached to petrol, prices will come down,” he added.

The country is beset by rising food and fuel prices, and the Central government is facing criticism for failing to introduce structural reforms to control inflation, which has hit the general public adversely.

“The government should have control over it (price of petrol). Every company increases the price (of petrol) once the price of crude oil goes up,” said Mahesh Kumar, a resident of Patna city.

“It adversely impacts common people, everything will become costly now, even the price of food items will soar, as a result, the middle class is worst hit,” he added.

Ramesh Bhandari, a Mumbai resident, said: “It has become difficult for us to live. We will have to go to villages after selling our vehicles because even if the prices are increased exorbitantly, nobody is here to say anything.” (ANI)