Transport Minister Ponnam slams BJP for revising fuel prices

Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar accused the BJP-led Centre of misleading people by raising fuel prices soon after Assembly elections in four States. He said the government had assured voters there would be no hike, but reversed its stance once results were declared, citing the West Asia conflict as justification.

Hyderabad: Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar criticised that the BJP had deceived people by increasing fuel prices soon after the Assembly elections in four States concluded.

He said the BJP-led Union government hiked fuel prices even before the newly elected Chief Ministers assumed office. According to him, the Centre had assured people before the elections that there would be no increase in fuel prices, but went back on its assurance after the results were declared.

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Speaking to media persons at BRKR Bhavan in Hyderabad on Friday, the Minister said Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent appeal for austerity measures had already triggered concerns among people over a possible rise in fuel prices.

Prabhakar said Union Ministers had earlier maintained that the country had adequate fuel stocks to meet demand for six months. Despite this, the Centre cited the conflict in West Asia as the reason for the hike in prices.

He pointed out that the conflict had been continuing for a few weeks and was not an overnight development. The Minister also referred to statements made before the elections by Union Ministers G Kishan Reddy and Bandi Sanjay Kumar, who had assured the public that fuel prices would not be increased. He alleged that people were misled after the election results and demanded that BJP leaders apologise to the public.