Sonia Gandhi slams govt over fuel price hike & farmer stir, says country standing at crossroads

Gandhi alleged that the government is breaking the back of the poor, the farmers, and the middle class due to its "insensitivity"

Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Thursday slammed the Modi government over the high prices of petroleum products, accusing it of fleecing the common man in the middle of a pandemic.

Gandhi also demanded that the Centre should slash the excise duty levied on petrol and diesel to the levels during the UPA regime and provide succour to the common man.

The cost of crude is 50.06 dollars a barrel, which works out to Rs 23.43 per litre, Gandhi said adding that despite the low crude prices, petrol and diesel were being sold at Rs 84.20 per litre and Rs 74.38 per litre respectively.

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“I demand the government to keep the prices of petrol and diesel to that of the UPA era and give relief to the people and roll back all the three farm laws,” the Congress President said.

Gandhi said the country is at crossroads as farmers are on the Delhi borders for 44 days for their "genuine" demands while the “unbridled, insensitive” government is breaking the backbone of the farmers and middle class.

“Due to Covid-19 all around, the economy is already in shambles. The Modi government is busy filling its own coffers and making an opportunity out of a pandemic,” she said.

Gandhi noted that in the past six years, the Centre had collected Rs 19 lakh crore as excise duty from the people.

“The rising costs of the domestic LPG has also upset the household budget,” she said.