A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi held his annual pariksha pe charcha (discussion on exams) with students who will appear for board exams next month via video conferencing, former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi took a dig at him, asking him why there has been no discussion on high fuel prices. He demanded a kharcha pe charcha (discussion on expenditure).
In a tweet, Mr. Gandhi said Central levies on fuel made the experience filling fuel in one’s vehicle akin to taking an exam.
“Tax collections by the Centre has made the experience of filling fuel in one's car no less than an exam, then why doesn’t the PM discuss it? Kharcha pe bhi Ho Charcha ! [A discussion should also be held on expenses],” said the tweet in Hindi.
With petrol prices crossing ₹100 a litre, the Congress has been targeting the Centre for imposing high taxes on petroleum products, especially during COVID-19 times. However, with the Assembly elections going on, there has been no fresh hike in petrol and diesel prices for nine days now. In the end of March, oil companies effected three price cuts that reduced petrol price by 61 paise per litre and diesel prices by 60 paise per litre.
