Ahead of the nationwide bandh over rising fuel prices, inflation and a weakening rupee, the Congress on Sunday asked its party workers to ensure that it doesn’t turn violent.
Addressing the media, senior leader Ajay Maken claimed that besides 21 Opposition parties including the Congress, Monday’s Bharat bandh is being supported by a number of chambers of commerce, traders’ associations and associations of schools.
Mr. Maken said if petrol and diesel are brought under the goods and services tax (GST), fuel prices could drop by ₹15 to ₹18 per litre.
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The Congress leader also attacked the BJP for not discussing these people’s issues at the ruling party’s two-day national executive in Delhi that concluded on Sunday.
“I appeal to all Congress workers to make the bandh violence-free. We are Mahatma Gandhi’s party and we should not associate ourselves with any violence,” Mr. Maken said.
The petrol price after breaching the ₹80 mark in Delhi, was increased by 12 paise on Sunday. Diesel became dearer by 10 paise per litre to set a new high.
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Mr. Maken said the difference between fuel price hikes during the (UPA) regime and the Modi government is that while international crude prices dictated their upward revision, the Modi government used low international crude prices to make windfall gains.
“Between 2014 and now, excise duty on petrol has risen by 211% and 433% on diesel. The excise duty on petrol was ₹9.2 per litre in 2014 and it has gone up to ₹19.48 per litre. Similarly, the excise duty on diesel was ₹3.46 per litre and today it stands at ₹15.33 per litre,” he said.
The government has collected ₹11 crore from excise duty by “robbing the common people”, he alleged.
“We are pained to note that such important issues like fuel price hike, inflation and falling rupee that affect every citizen have not figured in the BJP’s national executive and they are still giving empty slogans. They are only talking Mr. Modi and Amit Shah,” Mr. Maken said.
“The moment rupee touched 60 to a US dollar, Modi ji [Narendra Modi] used to say the rupee has gone into ICU. Now that the rupee has crossed 72 to a US dollar, what would they say now,” he asked and added that the economic progress and GDP growth rate has been squandered by the Modi government.
Reacting to the BJP’s barb that the Congress believed in “Breaking India” while the BJP believed in “Make in India” the Congress asked the BJP if that was the case, why did the Modi government cancel the order to manufacture 108 Rafale fighter jets by the public sector undertaking Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).