Accusing the central government of “profiteering from the miseries of countrymen” amid the coronavirus crisis and an economic downturn, the Congress state unit on Monday demanded a rollback in the increased prices of petrol and diesel.
In a representation to the President of India Ram Nath Kovind, the party alleged that the “repeated and unjust increase in the prices as also central excise on petrol and diesel over the last three months of the lockdown has inflicted insurmountable pain and suffering on the people of India”.
The representation demanded an immediate rollback in fuel prices, especially in view of the low price of crude oil in the global markets.
“Since the lockdown three months ago, the extent of extortion and profiteering by repeated increases in prices and excise duty on petrol and diesel has surpassed all forms of exploitation,” the representation said.