Fuel costs in Rajasthan have become the talk of the election ahead of polling in the sate as BJP launched attacks at Congress-led government claiming they are selling it at a very high cost as compared to BJP-ruled neighboring states.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi pledged that if the BJP were to come to power in Rajasthan, the party would conduct a review of petrol and diesel prices, aiming to alleviate the burden on the common citizens.
Ahead of the Rajasthan elections, Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri asserted that if the BJP replaces the Congress-led government, petrol prices in the state would decrease by approximately Rs 11.80 per litre. He alleged that the Congress government in Rajasthan imposed additional cess, making petrol prices in the state the highest across the country.
Since May last year, the Central government has maintained stable fuel rates. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had revised excise duties by reducing them by Rs 8 per litre on petrol and Rs 6 per litre on diesel on May 21, 2022.
During a public rally in Pali, Modi compared the petrol prices in Rajasthan and neighboring states governed by the BJP. He highlighted the significant price difference, citing the Congress government in Rajasthan selling petrol at rates as high as Rs. 108 per litre.
In Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, and Kolkata, the fuel prices have remained consistent. Petrol is priced at Rs 96.72 per liter in Delhi and diesel at Rs 89.62 per litre. In Mumbai, petrol is at Rs 106.31 per liter, while diesel stands at Rs 94.27 per litre. Kolkata sells petrol at Rs 106.31 per litre and diesel at Rs 92.76 per liter. Chennai’s petrol costs Rs 102.63 per litre, and diesel is priced at Rs 94.24 per litre.
The differences in fuel prices among states are due to various added levies, including Value Added Tax (VAT), freight charges, and local taxes, causing variations across regions.
Modi also criticized the Congress government for the rise in incidents of crimes against women in Rajasthan, claiming that the state tops the list in such cases. Union Minister Hardeep Singh highlighted that the Congress government collected approximately Rs 35,975 crore from additional levies on petrol and diesel over the last few years.
