Cong to bring adjournment motion in Hry assembly on rising fuel prices

Claiming that the "skyrocketing" fuel prices have broken the back of the common man, Senior Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala Friday said his party would bring an adjournment motion on it in the ongoing Haryana assembly session.

"The Congress will bring an adjournment motion on the rising fuel prices in the assembly," Kaithal MLA Surjewala told reporters here on the sidelines of the assembly's monsoon session, which began Friday.

He said the petrol and diesel prices have shot up to an all-time high and the common people, including the middle class, the farmers, transporters and small and medium class businesses men are bearing its burnt.

"Diesel and petrol prices have skyrocketed. The Modi government has repeatedly increased the fuel prices over the past four-and-a-half years and earned Rs 11 lakh crore as excise duty," he said.

"Similarly, the Khattar government in Haryana too has hiked VAT on petrol and diesel and earned an additional revenue of Rs 16,000," he said.

He said the petrol prices at present have touched Rs 80 per litre while diesel is selling at around Rs 72 a litre.

"Just before the Modi government was formed in May 2014, the crude oil cost USD 107 per barrel, but the petrol and diesel were cheap then. At present the crude oil cost USD 70 per barrel and its average cost for the past four-and-a-half has only been USD 50 per barrel, but see where the prices have reached now," he said.

He said the Congress will organise a nationwide shutdown on September 10 over the rising fuel prices.

He said the party has asked its legislators in Haryana to make the bandh a success in the state.

Surjewala said it is not a Congress' fight, but a fight for the common men.

"We have said the petrol and diesel should be brought under the GST ambit, so that the people can at least be given a relief of Rs 10-15 per litre, but the Modi government is not listening," he said.

Claiming that prices of other commodities too have shot up, Surjewala said, "Pulses are selling at Rs 170 per kg, milk prices have gone up manifold, the vegetable prices have sky rocketed, the cooking gas prices have increased and even the price of a railway platform ticket, which was available for Rs 2 during our time, has now increased to Rs 20."