BJP believes that electoral victory is a licence to loot, says Cong’s Maken

NT Corespondent

Congress General Secretary Ajay Makhen said on Thursday that the new year gift of the BJP to the common man is a burden of more than Rs 1.5 lakh crore and the government seems to believe in the mantra that ‘electoral victory is a license to loot’.

Addressing a news conference here on Thursday, he said the ‘cruel, cumbersome & backbreaking price rise’ imposed by the Modi government with effect from April 1, has shattered the budget of every household in India. Price rise is the biggest challenge to the sustenance of every individual. It is attacking the lives and livelihood of every household and is a curse in the life of citizens, he remarked.

Makhan quoting the Central government’s Petroleum Planning & Analysis Cell, said consumption of petrol in the year 2020-21 was 27,969 thousand metric tonnes. At a price hike of ?10/ litre, the additional yearly burden on people is ?27,969 Crores. The cell also says that the consumption of diesel in the year 2020-21 was 72,713 thousand metric tonnes. At an increase of ?10/litre, the yearly burden on people comes to ?72,713 Crores. Diesel and Petrol alone have caused an additional burden of more than Rs 1 lakh crores to the common man, he explained.

Makhen recalled that when the Congress led UPA government was in power Petrol and Diesel prices were at Rs 71.41 and Rs 55.49 per litre respectively, which have now increased to Rs 111.09/litre and Rs 94.79/litre in Bengaluru. Thee is also a shocking 531% hike in Excise Duty on Diesel and 203% increase in Excise Duty on Petrol, he said.

The Modi government has earned Rs.26,00,000 Crore (26 Lakh Crore) in eight years by increasing Excise Duty on Petrol and Diesel alone. On petro products, the Modi government decreased Subsidy by 1202% (from 1.47 lakh crores in 2013- 14 to 12,000 crores in 2021) and Increased taxes by 300%, Makhen said.

The body blow comes from LPG price hikes. On 1st April, Commercial Gas Cylinder price was hiked by ?250per cylinder. A month back, it was hiked by Rs 105 per cylinder. In the last 8 years of BJP rule, Commercial LPG cylinder prices have seen a massive hike of Rs 845. Domestic Gas Cylinder price was hiked by ?50 on 22nd March 2022, Maken said.