Fuel prices: KTR demands apology from Modi
Hyderabad: Industries Minister KT Rama Rao has accused the union Government of misleading the nation over rising fuel prices, citing Russia-Ukraine war, when the fact was that India imported less than one per cent crude oil from Russia. India imports majority of petroleum products from Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Nigeria, UAE and United States. While, there […]
Hyderabad: Industries Minister KT Rama Rao has accused the union Government of misleading the nation over rising fuel prices, citing Russia-Ukraine war, when the fact was that India imported less than one per cent crude oil from Russia. India imports majority of petroleum products from Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Nigeria, UAE and United States. While, there were no issues in supply of petro products from these countries, the Centre was misleading people saying there were supply issues from Russia, he pointed out.
In an open letter to the Centre on Wednesday, the minister said the union Government which failed in controlling the rising fuel prices, was uttering blatant lies over the issue and making false excuses. union Ministers have been consistently spreading falsehood saying fuel prices were rising in the US, Canada, UK, Germany, France and other countries but that was not true, he said.
“Petrol price in all these countries is much lesser than India. Even in the economically-hit Sri Lanka, the price is still considerable. But all these facts are deliberately not being shared with the people,” KT Rama Rao said in the letter. On behalf of the people, I urge the Central Government to take immediate steps to reduce petrol rates,” he said.
When in opposition, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had lashed out at the then Government over rising fuel prices and shed crocodile tears over the problems being faced by common people, the Minister said, adding “now the Prime Minister was least bothered about the people’s plight” “Modiji’ coined ‘Sab ka Saath Sab ka Vikas’ slogan but it is now ‘Sab ka Satyanash’ now under his rule,” he thundered.
In 2014, a litre petrol cost Rs 70.51 and the price of diesel was Rs 53.78 per litre. The BJP Government gradually increased the prices to Rs 118.19 and Rs 104.62 respectively. At present, the price of crude oil is 106 US dollars per barrel, which is same as the price of crude oil in 2014. Yet, the price of a litre petrol in the country was not the same as in 2014, he pointed out.
The BJP leaders should answer the people on the factors behind rising fuel prices, he demanded, adding that the increase in excise duty during the Corona crisis was a proof of Narendra Modi government’s indifference towards the poor and middle class. It appeared as if the BJP government introduced Prime Minister’s Petro Tax Scheme with the sole aim of exploiting the people, he said. “If the hike in petrol prices are not revised, people will definitely reject BJP,” he warned.
Cutting across sections, people were facing lot of inconvenience due to escalating fuel prices. Already, prices of domestic LPG cylinders, pulses, and medicines have shot up sharply. Many people have stopped using their vehicles and agricultural investments for farmers were steadily increasing, he said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi should give an explanation on the incompetency and failures of his government and tender an apology to the people for failing to control the rising fuel prices, the Minister demanded.
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