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- Published: June 29, 2020 17:20
New Delhi: Stepping up attack on the Centre, Congress President Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi today issued video messages to corner the Modi government over rising fuel rises and also launched a campaign – ‘Speak Up Against Fuel Hike’.
Sonia Gandhi accused the government of profiteering at the expense of the people and demanded immediate rollback of rise in excise duty.
Rahul Gandhi, who has been in attack mode for some days now, slammed the Modi government for increased in fuel prices for 22 consecutive days. He also accused the government of profiteering from the fuel while leaving the poor at their plight.
‘Money from fuel price goes to poor, not middlemen’
Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Dharmendra Pradhan hit back at the Congress, saying the collected money was used for welfare measures instead of personal benefit as allegedly prevalent during the Congress era.
Pradhan said, “I once again reiterate to Madam Sonia Gandhi ji that Modi ji has transferred more than Rs 65,000 crore to 42 crore people in the last 3 months.”
Making a strong allegation against the Congress, the Petroleum Minister remarked, “Unlike Congress” legacy of transferring money into the accounts of middlemen, ”National Daamad”, ”The Family” and Rajiv Gandhi Foundation, Modi ji”s DBT is about putting money in the hands of the poor, farmers, migrant workforce and women.”
He also reiterated what BJP President JP Nadda has been saying in many of his virtual rallies, asking what explains Congress-ruled states also hiking tax on fuel if Congress is against the idea.
The minister”s counter comes after Sonia and Rahul upped the ante over the issue of fuel price hike.
Govt ‘extorting’ people by increasing fuel prices, says Sonia
“I, along with all Congressmen and others together, demand from the Modi government to immediately roll back the increase in prices of petrol and diesel raised during this crisis due to the corona pandemic,” Sonia Gandhi said in a video message.
तेल की बढ़ी कीमतों पर सोनिया गांधी का केंद्र सरकार पर वार, तेल की कीमतों में बढ़ोतरी को बताया जबरन वसूली, दाम घटाने की मांग की
| #SoniaGandhi @INCIndia #PetrolDieselPriceHike #PetrolPrice |Visit our Youtube – https://t.co/hJrsvEpyyX pic.twitter.com/7fMlyXjOpa
— Newsroom Post (@NewsroomPostCom) June 29, 2020
“The government has set a new example of extortion from people through this unjustified increase in petrol and diesel prices. This is not only unjust but also insensitive,” Gandhi said.
Rahul urges people to join #SpeakUpAgainstFuelHike campaign
In a video, released here on Monday, Rahul Gandhi said, “The effect of rise in diesel and petrol prices are two-fold. One that you pay directly, and the other due to rise in prices of consumer products, including essential items.”
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday urged people to join the “Speak Up Against Fuel Hike” campaign. He made the appeal through a video posted on the micro-blogging site Twitter.
आइये #SpeakUpAgainstFuelHike campaign से जुड़ें। pic.twitter.com/oh8AEfqM3y
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) June 29, 2020
Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala also put out a video as part of the campaign, alleging that the government has collected Rs 1.3 lakh crore through the fuel price hikes since the lockdown.