New Delhi, March 27 – The BJP on Friday strongly criticized the opposition for its "misleading campaign" on fuel prices while welcoming the Centre's decision to cut excise duty on petrol and diesel, saying the move will provide much-needed relief to ordinary people.
The government has reduced excise duty on petrol to ₹3 per litre and completely exempted diesel from duty.
BJP MP Anurag Thakur targeted the Congress, alleging that while the Narendra Modi government has eased the burden on citizens, states ruled by the Congress have taken steps to increase it.
"First of all, we thank the Prime Minister for this historic decision to reduce excise duty on petrol and diesel. At a time when fuel prices have skyrocketed globally, India is perhaps the only country that has reduced excise duty and directly benefited 140 crore citizens," Thakur told reporters at the Parliament complex.
He claimed that the Congress has a history of increasing taxes on fuel in states it controls.
"The Congress has repeatedly increased VAT in states ruled by it, burdening ordinary people. In Himachal Pradesh, the Congress government has decided to impose a ₹5 cess on petrol and diesel and is preparing to implement it," he said.
Comparing the two, Thakur said the BJP-led Centre reduced excise duty by ₹10 per litre on petrol and diesel, while Congress-ruled states were moving in the opposite direction.
"This is the difference between the BJP and the Congress. While the Modi government makes decisions in the interest of the people, states like Himachal Pradesh ruled by the Congress are increasing the burden on citizens," said the MP from Hamirpur in Himachal Pradesh.
The Himachal Pradesh Assembly passed the VAT Amendment Bill on Monday to levy a cess of up to ₹5 per litre on petrol and diesel, amidst a walkout by the opposition BJP.
Thakur also criticized Rahul Gandhi's "khata-khat" model.
"This is Gandhi's 'khata-khat khatara' model, which only burdens ordinary people and leads to inflation," the BJP leader said.
He also accused West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of spreading misleading narratives on fuel prices and said such statements were aimed at creating confusion among the public.
"Banerjee is morally and emotionally down, and her image among voters is also declining. Her downfall has begun, and the countdown has started. When the countdown begins, leaders start making such misleading statements, as Mamata ji is doing," the former Union minister alleged.
BJP national spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi defended the Centre's decision, citing the global energy situation, saying the government has acted with sensitivity in a difficult environment.
"Due to the war in West Asia, a very concerning situation has arisen globally. There is a serious crisis related to energy and petroleum products across all regions of the world," he told reporters.
"In this era of globalization, it is not possible for India to remain unaffected. However, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, our government has taken decisions with great caution, alertness, and sensitivity to ensure that the burden does not fall on the common people," Trivedi said.
He said two key steps were taken by the government.
"First, additional taxes have been imposed on petroleum product exports. Second, the finance ministry has decided to reduce excise duty by ₹10 per litre for the common man," he said.
"This decision, taken under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi by the ministry led by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, shows how sensitive the government is towards the people and how it is working to protect public interests even in adverse circumstances," Trivedi added.
Referring to Ram Navami, he said the decision reflected the principle of making essential items affordable.
"It appears that the Prime Minister has drawn inspiration from the ideals of Lord Ram, as written in Ramcharitmanas by Tulsidas, that items meant to be expensive are made expensive, and essential items are made affordable," he said.
"In this context, exports have been made costlier, while petrol has been made cheaper," he said.
Meanwhile, BJP's ally Shiv Sena also supported the Centre’s decision to cut excise duty on petroleum products, describing it as a "citizen-centric move" that will provide relief to people amid rising global fuel prices.
In a post on X, Shiv Sena MP Shrikant Shinde said that at a time when fuel prices are increasing worldwide due to tensions in West Asia, the Centre has prioritised the interests of citizens.
“Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji, the central government has significantly reduced the excise duty on petrol and diesel,” he said.
Highlighting the timing of the move, Shinde said that taking such a step during a period of global instability reflects the government’s commitment to public welfare.