Sonia Gandhi Writes to PM Narendra Modi Demanding Rollback of Hike in Fuel Prices

New Delhi, June 16: Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi over hike in petrol-diesel prices. In the letter, she urged the Union government to immediately roll back hikes on fuel prices and pass the benefit of low crude oil prices to the citizens. Gandhi also opined that it is duty and responsibility of government to alleviate suffering and not put the people to still greater hardship.

Referring the fuel price hike as unjustified and inappropriate, the Congress chief write to PM Modi, "Your government is seeking to earn an additional revenue of nearly Rs 2,60,000 crores by these ill-advised hikes in excise duty and increases in the prices of petrol and diesel. As it is, people across the board are facing unimaginable hardships what to say of widespread fear and insecurity. These price increases are saddling our motto with an additional burden of this enormous magnitude that is neither justified nor appropriate. It is duty and responsibility of government to alleviate suffering and not put the people to still greater hardship." Jet Fuel Hike: Price of ATF Rises by Over 16%, Check Rates of Aviation Turbine Fuel in Metros.

Requesting the Premier to roll the decision, Gandhi wrote, "I urge you to roll back these increase an pass on the benefit of low oil prices directly to the citizens of the country. If you wish for them to be 'self-reliant' then do not place financial fetters on their ability to move forward. And I am once again oblige to repeat what I have said before: please use the government's resources to put money directly into the hands of those who need it in time of severe hardships."

Here's what Sonia Gandhi wrote:

Earlier in the morning, petrol and diesel price were hiked in the national capital. Petrol saw an increase of Rs 0.47 per litre, which led to the price reaching at 76.73 per litre. While for diesel, the rate was hiked by Rs 0.57, making it reach the price of Rs 75.19 per litre. Also, price of aviation turbine fuel registered a 16.3 percent increase on Tuesday. The letter comes in the wake of fuel prices as it recorded eighth consecutive hike on Sunday, taking the total increase since the resumption of the dynamic price revision system to more than Rs 5 per litre.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 16, 2020 11:11 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).