Jaipur, May 22 (PTI) Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Sunday said the Centre should bring down the excise duty on petrol and diesel to the level it was during the Congress-led UPA government so that common people get genuine relief.
His remarks came a day after the government cut the excise duty on petrol by a record Rs 8 per litre and that on diesel by Rs 6 per litre to give relief to consumers grappling with high fuel prices that have also pushed inflation to a record high.
“Instead of doing such a formality (cutting excise duty), the central government should bring the excise duty to the level it was during the UPA government so that the common man can get relief in the real sense,” Gehlot said in a tweet.
These excise cuts will become irrelevant in the next few days, he said, adding that rise in fuel prices is the main reason for inflation.
Gehlot said during the UPA government’s tenure, crude oil price had reached USD 140 per barrel but fuel price for the general public did not cross Rs 70 as an excise duty of only Rs 10 was levied.
Hitting out at the Centre, the chief minister said these people do not tell that they have increased the excise duty from Rs 10 to Rs 32.
People now know that fuel prices will be reduced when elections are near and they will be increased once elections are over, Gehlot said.
After the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, the Centre increased fuel prices by Rs 10. They are just deceiving people, he alleged.
Following the government’s decision to cut excise duty, petrol price was slashed by Rs 8.69 a litre and that of diesel by Rs 7.05 per litre on Sunday. PTI AG DIV DIV
This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.