Fuel price hike: CPI leader accuses Centre and State governments of exploitation

Petrol and diesel prices have been hiked by ₹8.04 per litre and ₹7.88 per litre, respectively, in the South Coastal districts of Andhra Pradesh. The petrol rate, which was ₹109.84 per litre until recently, was increased four times over a period of just 10 days to reach ₹117.88 per litre, while diesel prices have surged from ₹97.61 per litre to ₹105.49 per litre in the region.

Communist Party of India (CPI) national secretary K. Narayana expressed his anger over the rocketing fuel prices in the country. He alleged that the Central and State governments are looting the common people in the name of taxes, citing international developments as an excuse.

He said, “On the one hand, USA is resorting to unilateral attacks with its warmongering actions. At the same time, the Indian leadership is arbitrarily increasing fuel prices. On the pretext that barrel prices have increased in the international market, without any justification, they have imposed an additional burden of almost ₹8 per litre of petrol and diesel in just a week.”

Mr. Narayana alleged that during this oil crisis, the governments have looted about ₹30 lakh crore from the people in the form of taxes. “While the Central government is increasing the fuel prices in the name of various taxes, the State governments are also burdening the people with local taxes.”

Revealing the difference in prices in the border areas of A.P. and Tamil Nadu on this occasion, he said that the price of petrol is ₹108.49 per litre and diesel is ₹100.28 per litre at fuel filling station in NN Kandriga village on the Tamil Nadu border. However, the price of petrol is ₹117.85 per litre and the price of diesel is ₹105.45 per litre in Nagari, A.P..

The CPI leader lamented that the price difference is evidence of how the Central and State governments are jointly exploiting the Telugu people.