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Fuel prices were revised across the country for the fourth straight day on Friday, as the state-run Oil Marketing Companies (OMC) hiked petrol and diesel prices by 29 and 38 paise per litre respectively.

The following chart shows the mismanagement of the BJP in controlling fuel prices. In places like Mumbai, the fuel prices are just short of an unwanted landmark of a century:

City Petrol Diesel
Delhi 87.85 78.03
Mumbai 94.36 84.94
Chennai 90.18 83.18
Kolkata 89.16 81.61

But instead of accepting the failure to control the prices and chart out a plan to bring it back to prices the common man can afford the minister for petroleum and natural gases Mr. Dharmendra Pradhan on the floor of the house said that it’s wrong to say fuel prices are at an all-time high and the notion was just a misnomer.

He went on to blame the high crude oil prices in the international market and went on to say, "Petroleum products prices are governed by some international pricing mechanism. This is the practice of the last few decades in our country because we have to import almost 85% of our requirements from the international market. When there is a price hike in the international market, we have to go by that mechanism. The price comes down according to the decrease in the crude oil price in the international market. This is a market mechanism developed by all marketing companies. We have given the freedom to them. “

Though it is true that due to the vaccination role out drive the crude oil prices have seen a bump reaching 61$ per barrel for the first time in more than a year but the role of taxes which account for nearly 60% of the price you pay for petrol needs to be remembered at the same time.

The minister went on to say on the floor of the house that there is no proposal currently to decrease the tax on fuel as it is a proven source of revenue to the government using which various welfare schemes are implemented.

Without a credible opposition, the government has been given a free hand to carry out a loot of the common man to meet its revenue demands. The congress party with its usual laidback and lazy approach has failed in its role as an opposition to corner the government regarding the same.