Capt, Bajwa criticise hike in excise duty on fuel

Congress deputy leader in Lok Sabha Capt Amarinder Singh on Friday criticised the Centre’s decision to hike the excise duty on diesel and petrol by Rs 2 per litre, saying that instead of people getting the benefit of the falling prices of crude oil in the international market, the BJP-led NDA government was slapping them with extra excise duty.

In a statement issued here, Amarinder termed the hike as unjustified, adding that the government had failed to pass on the benefit of the falling oil prices in international market to consumers in the country.

“The crude oil prices had come down from 115 dollars per barrel in June to 50 dollars per barrel now, which is a 60% fall, while the NDA government had slashed the prices of petroleum products in India by less than 10% which amounts to fraud with people,” Amarinder stated.

Punjab Congress chief Partap Singh Bajwa, in a separate statement, criticised the Narendra Modi government for the hike in the excise duty, saying that with the falling crude prices in the international market, the people were rather expecting a relief.

Bajwa also called upon Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal to come out with his reaction to the decision of the NDA regime.