The entire world is seriously affected by Covid-19, and almost all the governments in the world are extending financial support to the people in a big way. In contrast, our government is burdening the people heavily by raising the prices of diesel and petrol regularly. On May 5, the government increased the excise duty on petrol by Rs10 per litre and by Rs 13 per litre for diesel. The government should have reduced petroleum prices in the country when the Brent crude price fell to $31 per barrel — down over 30 per cent — in the month of March