'Drama', 'Will Increase Again After UP Polls': Oppn Reacts to Fuel Price Cuts

The reductions in prices of petrol and diesel have elicited sharp reactions across the political spectrum.

The fuel price cuts have elicited sharp reactions across the political spectrum.

(Photo courtesy: Meghnad Bose/The Quint)

The Union government's decision to cut the prices of petrol and diesel by Rs 5 and Rs 10 respectively has been followed up by several state governments, mostly the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ones, announcing additional cuts in the Value Added Tax (VAT) rates on the fuels, further slashing the prices consumers have to pay.

The BJP governments in Assam, Tripura, Manipur, Karnataka, Goa, Uttar Pradesh (UP), Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand have announced additional reductions in the prices of petrol and diesel.

The slew of decisions, made to coincide with Diwali celebrations across the country, have elicited diverse reactions across the political spectrum.

Lalu Calls Centre's Move 'Drama, Bogus, Mischievous'

RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav (File Photo)

(Photo: IANS)

Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Lalu Prasad Yadav termed the Narendra Modi government's decision to cut fuel prices as "drama".

The former Bihar chief minister said it was a "bogus" and "mischievous" move, and demanded that the government reduce the prices by Rs 50 instead. He further claimed that the Union government would increase the fuel prices once again after the Assembly elections in UP early next year.

Congress' Srivatsa gave a different UP election spin to the news of the fuel price reductions.

Priyanka Says 'Fuel Price Cuts Out of Fear', Cong Demands Further Reduction

Congress general secretary and Uttar Pradesh in-charge Priyanka Gandhi Vadra launched three 'Pratigya Yatras' from Barabanki on 23 October.

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra claimed that the government's move to cut fuel prices was out of fear, not compassion. She further asked people to respond to the 'looting' undertaken by this government through how they vote in the upcoming polls.

Senior Congress leader and former Finance Minister P Chidambaram called the Modi government's move to cut fuel prices 'a by-product' of the recently concluded bypolls.

Veteran Congress leader and Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has demanded that the Modi government further reduce excise duty on fuel. Gehlot tweeted, "With the reduction of excise duty by the Centre, the VAT levied by the states is automatically reduced in the same proportion. We demand that the Centre further reduce excise duty in order to reduce inflation."

DMK Minister Compares Fuel Price Cuts to Fuel Price Hikes

Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) leader and Tamil Nadu Finance Minister P Thiaga Rajan tweeted a veiled jibe at how the Modi government's reduction in fuel prices paled in comparison to the hikes it had implemented prior to that. He wrote, "Glad to note the Union Govt has cut Rs. 5 (of the ~23 it raised since 2014) in Petrol Tax & Rs. 10 (of the ~28 it raised since 2014) in Diesel Tax on Wednesday night."

BJP Puts Onus on Opposition-Ruled States

With multiple BJP governments announcing further cuts in the petrol and diesel prices in their states by reducing the Value Added Tax (VAT), the BJP is putting the onus on states ruled by Opposition parties to do the same.

For example, BJP IT Department chief Amit Malviya tweeted, "It is high time that the opposition run States match Center’s positive decision and commensurately decrease VAT rates on both petrol and diesel else all their talk will just be just that – mere talk! (sic)"