Senior Congress leader Manish Tewari said recent increases in petrol and diesel prices in India are "unacceptable" on Monday.
The price hikes intensify the inflation burden on Indian citizens while state-run oil companies report significant financial gains. This creates a political flashpoint regarding whether the government is prioritizing corporate profits over public hardship.
In Delhi, the price of petrol rose by Rs. 2.61 per litre, moving from ₹99.51 to ₹102.12 [1]. Diesel prices saw a similar increase of Rs. 2.71 per litre, rising from ₹92.49 to ₹95.20 [1]. These changes follow a pattern of volatility, with reports indicating this was the fourth hike in 10 days [1].
Tewari said the government is ignoring the hardships faced by the public. He said the administration is allowing these costs to rise while state-run oil marketing companies recorded profits of over Rs 77 crore [2].
Other party representatives have intensified their rhetoric against the administration. A Congress spokesperson said the leadership is "Mehangai Man" and "Inflation man" [3], linking the current economic pressure directly to government policy.
The party alleges that the government is favoring oil companies at the expense of the average consumer. By maintaining high retail prices despite record profits at the corporate level, the Congress party argues the administration is failing to protect citizens from rising living costs.
“"unacceptable"”
The confrontation highlights a growing political strategy by the Congress party to frame the current administration as indifferent to the working class. By contrasting the record profits of state-run oil companies with the daily cost of fuel, the opposition is attempting to turn fuel pricing into a primary electoral issue centered on economic inequality and inflation.
