KTR asks Centre to apologise for skyrocketing fuel prices

HYDERABAD: Telangana IT Minister K T Rama Rao (KTR) on Thursday demanded that the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre apologise to the nation for the skyrocketing fuel prices. In a strongly-worded letter to the Centre, he felt that the Narendra Modi government owed an apology to the country for burdening the common man with the high fuel prices.

KTR said that the Centre was fleecing the public, blaming international crude oil prices as the reason for the fuel price hike but their deceit had been exposed. "In 2013, when the cost of one crude oil barrel was $110, the cost of one litre petrol was Rs 76. Now, when the cost of one crude oil barrel is $66, petrol costs Rs 110," he pointed out.

KTR alleged that the Modi government was exploiting the poor and the middle class people with the high prices just to benefit a few corporates. "Due to the 45 percent hike in fuel prices since 2014, all the essential commodities became costlier," the minister said.

KTR stated that, due to the rise of diesel prices, the state governments were forced to increase the public transport charges which has put the public transport system on the brink of a crisis, all because of the follies of the Union Government. "The inflation is also at a 45-year high due to the failures of the Union Government," he claimed.

The Telangana IT Minister also called out the Centre for its false claims on the crude oil imported from Russia. Though the Centre makes tall claims about importing crude oil at lower prices from Russia, the same benefit is not passed on to the common man and only two oil companies are reaping riches from this decision, he said. "The union government is importing crude oil at lower prices from Russia, refining it and selling the fuel to other countries. They are hiding this key information from the public," KTR said. He added that the Centre also reduced windfall tax on fuel to benefit a few corporate companies.

KTR took potshots at Union ministers who claimed that bringing fuel under the purview of GST would reduce its prices. "The LPG cylinder price, which is under GST, has been hiked from Rs 400 to Rs 1200, making it the costliest LPG cylinder in the world." The Minister questioned why the 'inefficient' Union Government could not contain the LPG price even when it is under the purview of GST.

KTR alleged that the Centre was conspiring to preempt the discussion in Parliament on price rise and that people were taking note of it. "Rejecting the BJP is the only way to stop the Centre from fleecing people and bring down the fuel prices," he felt.