"Nothing short of extortion", Sonia Gandhi writes to PM Modi on increasing fuel prices

Sonia Gandhi writes to PM Modi

On Sunday, Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi wrote a 3 page letter to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, seeking to bring down the exorbitant fuel prices which saw a tremendous rise since the last 12 days. Referring to this spike in prices of fuel as "Nothing short of extortion", she said that the government is being insensitive towards miseries and sufferings of people instead aiming for profits out of them.

Gandhi wrote the letter highlighting "the anguish and pain conquering heart of every citizen after the unexpected surge in fuel prices". The letter read, "In this time of recovery, where the nation is swinging in the cradle of economic depression due to COVID 19 pandemic, we have lost millions of lives and livelihoods. The middle class families and daily wage earners are struggling hard to make both ends meet. These liabilities culminated with unprecedented rise in prices of household needs and essential commodities, ambushing the citizens with a lot more hardships to deal. It is unfortunate to see the government making money out of people's helplessness and grievances." Claiming this rise as "historic and unsustainable", she brought out the fact that prices of fuel have risen despite the stagnancy in prices of international crude oil.

"Citizens are contemplating over the fact that prices rose despite the moderate prices of international crude oil. Putting it straight, crude oil price is half of what it was in UPA government's tenure. So this hike in price of petrol and diesel is nothing more than a harsh and inconsiderate act of profiteering," she said. She accused the government of undertaking thoughtless and impulsive measures at the cost of people saying, "Excise duty of diesel has been increased by 820% on diesel and 258% on petrol in your reign which amounted to a profit of Rs 21 lakh crore in last six and half years."

Sonia declared that it was sadistic on the government's part to deny the reduction in prices even after the downfall in global crude oil cost to $20/barrel last year. "The sheer motive of deregulation and dynamic pricing is governed on the fact that reduction in fuel prices should benefit consumers. Our government failed on this front which defines their conscious and deliberate effort to deny the people their legitimate due," she said. She even declared that the government is being irrational in levying excessive excise duty of Rs 33 per litre petrol and Rs 32 per litre diesel, which are higher than base prices of fuel. As the principal party in Opposition she demanded to "follow the ethics of Raj Dharma and roll back partial excise duty."

Ms. Ghandhi also expressed her dissatisfaction over PM Modi's act of blaming previous regimes for their own mismanagement after seven year of their governance. "Government is appointed to ease the workflow and living conditions in the country rather than working against their interests," she said, urging the PM to revoke the increase in prices and pass the benefits to middle class members, farmers and common citizens. She asserted that it is them who are battling economic hardships in daily lives with job erosion, wage reductions, unemployment and income disparities. "I request the government to look for solutions rather than excuses," she said and ended on by saying, "India deserves better".