New Delhi, May 15 -- Several Opposition parties on Friday attacked the government over the hike in prices of petrol and diesel, warning that the move would worsen inflation and hamper economic growth.
The BJP, however, defended the hike, claiming that India managed to shield citizens from the global oil shock for more than two months while implementing only a "limited and calibrated" rise even as several countries witnessed steeper increases.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said the public was paying the price for the Modi government's "mistake" while party chief Mallikarjun Kharge slammed the government, alleging that the country was facing an economic crisis due to a "leadership crisis, lack of vision and incompetence".
The attack came as petrol and diesel prices were hiked by Rs 3 per litre each on Friday, marking the first increase in more than four years, as state-run fuel retailers passed on part of the hit from surging global crude prices triggered by the Iran war.
Alongside, CNG prices in cities like Delhi and Mumbai were raised by Rs 2 per kg.
Leading the Opposition attack on the government, Gandhi said in a post in Hindi on X, "Galti Modi sarkaar ki, keemat janta chukayegi (The public will pay the price for the Modi government's mistake)."
Kharge said it was a government-made crisis, the consequences of which the people of the country were bearing.
"The people of the country must understand that, along with the international fuel crisis, the major reason for the economic crisis in India at this time is the Modi government's leadership crisis, lack of vision, and rampant incompetence," he alleged.
The CPI-M Polit Bureau strongly condemned the Centre for raising petrol, diesel and CNG prices, saying the hike would impose a greater burden on the people already reeling under inflation, unemployment, stagnant wages and deepening economic distress. It demanded an immediate rollback of the increase and called upon its units to organise protests demanding withdrawal of the hike.
The CPI also condemned the government for the hike, saying it would push crores of Indians into deeper economic distress.
Hours after the hike, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav took a swipe at Modi's call to conserve fuel, saying that the bicycle, the SP's official election symbol, was the only alternative, seemingly emphasising that his party alone could offer a solution. The Trinamool Congress accused the Centre of "cheating" citizens after the elections and presiding over a worsening economic situation.
Addressing a press conference, TMC leader Sagarika Ghose said, "After looting the votes, you are now looting the purse of the ordinary citizen," describing the BJP-led government as a "dhokhebaaz (betrayer) government".
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay said the fuel price hike was unacceptable and must be rolled back while AIADMK chief Edappadi K Palaniswami urged the Centre to take steps to reduce prices and alleviate the burden on the people.
Union minister G Kishan Reddy said in Hyderabad the fuel price hike was unavoidable due to the global energy crisis and urged people to understand the circumstances behind the increase.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.