In continuation of her offensive against the BJP government, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, on Thursday, accused the centre of “picking pockets” of people during a time of crisis, while referring to the continuous hike in fuel prices by oil companies despite relatively low cost of international crude due to global uncertainties triggered by the impact of coronavirus outbreak. She added that her party staged successful protests on the matter in Uttar Pradesh today.
“The government, by hiking the prices of Diesel and Petrol for the 19th continuous day today, has made this clear that the BJP has greater interest in picking people’s pockets even in the times of a crisis. The Congress party staged protests in all of UP today. The people are not willing to put up with this loot any longer,” she tweeted on Thursday afternoon.
Petrol price in Delhi was hiked to Rs 79.92 per litre from Rs 79.76 during the day while diesel rates were increased to Rs 80.02 a litre from Rs 79.88. The diesel price were increased for the 19th day in a row since the price revisions began on June 7 after a gap of close to three months due to the lockdown.
Priynaka Gandhi is the party general secretary in charge of eastern UP and has been leading the party’s drive to oppose the government on the issue of fuel price hike.
“ The government has created history by picking people’s pockets in the times of crisis. Diesel prices have now crossed the price of petrol. When the prices of crude oil are sliding across the world, look at this method of looting people. The government raises the price of petrol and diesel by a few paise every day so that they avoid the impression of a rise in prices by Rs 8 a litre or Rs 9 a litre in one go,” she had said in another tweet 24 hours ago.
Congress has organized protests in several states over the issue. In Madhya Pradesh, senior party leader Digvijaya Singh was booked along with other party workers for taking out a cycle march to protest on the issue.
