New Delhi: The opposition Congress, which has called for a nation-wide shut down on Monday over rising fuel prices and depreciation of the rupee, has appealed party workers to maintain peace and not to associate with any violent protests.
It said 21 opposition parties are supporting the Bharat bandh, besides a number of chambers of commerce and traders’ associations.
The party demanded that petrol and diesel should be brought under GST, by which oil prices could drop by about Rs 15 to Rs 18. “I appeal all Congress workers to make the bandh violence-free. We are Mahatma Gandhi’s party and we should not associate ourselves with any violence,” Congress spokesperson Ajay Maken said at a media briefing. Petrol and diesel prices set new records Sunday. According to the price notification issued by state fuel retailers, petrol price was raised by 12 paise a litre and diesel by 10 paise per litre on Sunday.
Holding the BJP government responsible for the rise in petrol and diesel prices, Maken alleged that it kept on raising excise duty on fuel even as international crude oil prices have come down. “Between 2014 and now, excise duty on petrol has risen by 211.7 per cent and 433 per cent on diesel.
The excise duty on petrol was Rs 9.2 per litre in 2014 and it has gone up to Rs 19.48 per litre. Similarly, the excise duty on diesel was Rs 3.46 per litre and today it stands at Rs 15.33 per litre,” he said.
The government has collected Rs 11 crore as excise duty by “burdening” people and “robbing them”, the Congress leader alleged. Maken said that he was “pained” to see that BJP’s national executive meeting here remained silent on the rising crude oil price issue and has not held any discussions on inflation or rupee depreciation, matters which are directly linked with the common man. “I am pained that the meeting did not discuss a solution to these issues,” he said.
Maken alleged the economic progress and GDP growth rate, which the UPA government maintained, has been squandered by the present dispensation.
“During our rule, Narendra Modi criticised the rising oil prices saying it has gone into ICU. What would they say now?” he asked.
Hitting out at the BJP for attacking the Congress with ‘make in India breaking India’ barb, Maken alleged the government has stalled the make in India initiative as 109 rafale jets could have been manufactured at Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, a PSU.
He also said the government has not yielded to the opposition’s demand for a Join Parliamentary Committee probe into the alleged irregularities in the Rafale deal.
Meanwhile, scores of leaders belonging to 21 political parties will take part in ‘Bharat Bandh’ called by the Congress party on September 10 against the fuel price hike, and decline in rupee value against the United States dollar.
The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and the Samajwadi Party (SP), among others, have extended support to the nationwide shutdown.
“Congress party has called for a nationwide ‘Bharat bandh’ against the continuous rise in petrol and diesel prices and the drop in rupee’s value against US dollar. The ‘bandh’ will be violence-free. We request all the businessmen to support us in this,” Congress leader Ajay Maken said at a press conference on Sunday.
“In last four years, excise duty has increased by 211.7 percent on petrol and 443 percent on diesel. In May 2014, excise duty on petrol was Rs 9.2, while now it is Rs 19.48. Similarly, on diesel excise duty was Rs 3.46 in May 2014, however, it is now Rs 15.33,” he added.
The Congress leader also questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi regarding the decline in the rupee value and said, “The value of rupee is below 72 now. Earlier when rupee value used to cross 60, then Prime Minister Modi used to say that rupee is in ICU. What will he say now?” Maken said that the Congress party’s demand is to “bring petrol and diesel under GST.”
Further demanding the government to bring petrol and diesel under Good and Services Tax (GST) ambit and said, “If this happens, then there will be a drop of Rs 15-18 in the prices of petrol and diesel. Not just that, there will be a decline in price of other things also.”
Petrol and diesel prices have been witnessing a hike in several states across the country over the past few weeks. The Indian rupee is also facing a decline in its value against the US dollar.
Earlier, Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Dharmendra Pradhan blamed international factors for the hike in fuel price and said that one major reason for the rise in petrol and diesel prices is the depreciation of the Indian rupee against the US dollar. (Agencies)
