Opposition parties attack the government in Lok Sabha over hike in excise duty on petrol, diesel

Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on Tuesday attacked the government in Lok Sabha over hike in excise duty on petrol and diesel saying that an effort was being made to run the government by adversely impacting the pockets of people.

Raising the issue in zero hour, Chowdhury said that the international price of crude was at the 2004 level when petrol and diesel were available for far less than their present prices.

He said the government had raised excise duties instead of passing relief to people.

"This is an absolute injustice with people. There is an effort to run the government by adversely impacting the pockets of people," he said.

Several other opposition members joined Chowdhury and protested against the government's decision.

DMK member Dayanidhi Maran accused the government of "loot".

Trinamool Congress member Sugata Roy said that people should have had good news of a drop in prices of petrol and diesel.

He said the government will earn Rs 39,000 crores by its decision.

The government had on Saturday increased the special additional excise duty on petrol from Rs 8 per litre to Rs 10 per litre and on diesel from Rs 2 per litre to Rs 4 per litre.

It had also increased road and infrastructure cess collected as an additional duty of excise and customs on both petrol and diesel from Rs 9 to Rs 10 per litre.