Congress laughs off Rs 5 reduction in petrol prices, calls it a lollipop

November 5, 2021

Congress on Friday laughed off the recent decrease in excise duty on petrol and diesel, and called it a “lollipop” by the Central government.
The grand old party also announced a massive campaign against fuel prices from November 14.
The Centre this week reduced excise duty on petrol and diesel by Rs 5 per litre and Rs 10 per litre, respectively.
Reacting to the recent reduction in fuel prices, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel said, “If the NDA govt decreases excise duty from Rs 30 to Rs 9 like the UPA govt did, petrol-diesel costs will definitely go down.”
“Increasing the petrol cost by Rs 30, then downing it by Rs 5 is just a lollipop,” he added.
Meanwhile, another Congress leader KC Venugopal also hit out at the Central government for not reducing the fuel prices “enough” to benefit the common man.
While speaking to media, Venugopal said, “It hasn’t been decreased much. During UPA govt excise duty on petrol was Rs 9.48 per litre and diesel Rs 3.56 per litre. They should reduce it more.LPG rates are still the same and need to be reduced.”
The Congress leader then announced that his party will continue its agitation and start a “massive campaign” against the fuel prices from November 14.
Before price cuts and pause, diesel prices have increased 30 out of the last 42 days taking up its retail price by Rs 9.90 per litre in Delhi.

Petrol prices have also risen on 28 of the previous 38 days taking up its pump price by Rs 8.85 per litre. Since January 1, 2021 petrol and diesel prices have risen by more than Rs 26 a litre before the duty cuts.
The excise duty was raised by Rs 13 and Rs 16 per litre on petrol and diesel between March 2020 and May 2020 and was standing high at Rs 31.8 on diesel a nd Rs 32.9 per litre on petrol before finally the Centre decided on duty cut.