In an apparent dig at the Centre after a cut on excise duty on fuel was announced, Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi said that the government was forced to do so after bypoll results.
Hinting at the losses BJP suffered in ruling states like Himachal Pradesh, Gaurav Gogoi tweeted, "After months of claiming that rise in duty of petrol and diesel was to pay for free vaccines, the BJP had to swallow their hypocrisy and partially roll back prices. The people of India have got a minor reprieve. This day after @RahulGandhi attacked the Govt. over inflation".
Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala also tweeted, "Kudos to People for showing the "mirror of truth" to tax-parasitic Modi Govt! But do remember -After losing 14 bye-elections & 2 Lok Sabhas, reducing Petrol-Diesel price by Rs 5 & Rs 10 is tom-tommed as a Diwali Gift' of Modi Ji!"
Talking about fuel prices in May 2014, he said, petrol prices were ₹71.41 and diesel was ₹55.49 per litre but crude oil was $105.71 per barrel. He then pointed out that crude oil is ₹82 per barrel, but prices are far from those of 2014, adding that Congress government levied ₹9.48 per litre on petrol and ₹3.56 per litre on diesel, whereas the excise on petrol is still around ₹28 and on diesel its ₹22.
After the cut in excise rates, price of petrol in capital Delhi stands at ₹103.97 a litre, down from yesterday's ₹110.04. In Guwahati, petrol prices fell below the ₹100 mark, at ₹99.92 a litre, after days of soaring.
Fuel prices fell across the country after the centre announced on Wednesday, a cut in excise duty of ₹5 for petrol and ₹10 for diesel from November 4.