Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been trying to weaken the states since he came to power and is trying to fill government coffers by raising petrol prices, Telangana Minister and TRS Working President KT Rama Rao said on Wednesday, April 6. In an open letter to the Union government on petrol prices, the minister alleged that on one hand, the Union government is constantly raising prices, while on the other hand, it is trying to put the blame for increasing rates on state governments.
“Narendra Modi who has been doing everything to weaken the states since he came to power, is looking to fill only the central exchequer by rising petrol prices. That is why, since the BJP came to power, petrol rates have been rising in the form of cess rather than tariffs,” KTR said. The Modi-led government is levying a cess of over Rs 30 on petrol prices which is the highest ever in the country's history and the benefit that the states get from it is nil, he charged.
“When in opposition, Modi shed crocodile tears over the sufferings of the poor and the plight of common people. However, now, he is completely ignoring the welfare of the people since he came to power,” he alleged.
In 2014, petrol per litre used to cost Rs 70.51, and the diesel per litre rate was Rs 53.78. The Modi government gradually increased the prices to Rs 118.19 and Rs 104.62, respectively, though global crude oil prices are currently at USD 106, which is equivalent to 2014 prices, he claimed.
KTR blamed the Union government’s "inefficient policies" for the steep hike in fuel prices. "The current plight is due to the inefficient policies adopted by the BJP and its failure in managing the country's economy. The BJP leaders at the Center are lacking wealth-creating intellect. They are of the wrong impression that raising taxes exponentially with the power at hand is good governance. The useless BJP Government has levied a petro tax of Rs 26.51 lakh crore for seven and a half years on 26 crore families in the country. This means that, on average, the Modi government has looted one lakh of rupees from each family in the name of raising petrol prices. The union government and BJP leaders are answerable to the country's people," the TRS leader said.
He termed as "pure lies" the reasons cited by the Modi government for not controlling prices. "BJP leaders are simply narrating stories, such as the problems in the international crude oil supply, the rise in crude oil prices, and the Russia-Ukraine war. But all this is not true. Union ministers who say prices are rising in the US, Canada, the UK, Germany, and even France are deliberately hiding that the per litre petrol rate there is lower than ours. The petro products are still available at cheaper rates in some of our neighbouring countries, including Sri Lanka, which is reeling under the financial crisis."
With PTI and IANS inputs