The Opposition tore into the Centre on Tuesday over a sudden spike in gas taxes and cooking fuel costs, accusing the Modi authorities of unleashing yet one more assault on family budgets. From Congress chief Rahul Gandhi to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, leaders throughout celebration strains slammed the NDA regime for what they termed as ‘financial cruelty’ inflicted on the widespread man.
In a double whammy for customers, the value of home LPG cylinders was raised by Rs 50, whereas CNG went up by Rs 1 per kg. Concurrently, excise obligation on petrol was hiked to Rs 13 per litre and diesel to Rs 10—simply as international crude oil costs slid to a three-year low.
Rahul Gandhi led the cost, sarcastically applauding Prime Minister Narendra Modi for providing a “befitting reply to tariffs.” Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge went a step additional, calling it “a present of loot” from a authorities that has remained “in Kumbhakaran-like” slumber even because the financial system buckled beneath the load of inflation.
‘Kumbharakaran-like sleep on tariff coverage’: Mallikarjun Kharge
In a put up in Hindi on X, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge mentioned, “Wah, Modi ji, Wah!! Worldwide crude oil costs have fallen by 41 per cent in comparison with Might 2014 however your plundering authorities, as a substitute of lowering the costs of petrol and diesel, has elevated the central excise obligation by Rs 2 every.”
The hike in LPG, CNG and excise obligation on petrol and diesel adopted a pointy drop in worldwide oil costs, which have steeped to their lowest ranges since April 2021, considerably after the imposition of commerce tariffs on a number of international locations by US President Donald Trump. Kharge went on to name NDA authorities’s stance a “Kumbhakaran-like sleep” on the tariff coverage.
वाह मोदी जी वाह !!
मई 2014 के मुक़ाबले अंतर्राष्ट्रीय कच्चे तेल की क़ीमत में 41% की गिरावट आई है, पर आपकी लुटेरी सरकार ने पेट्रोल-डीज़ल के दाम कम करने के बजाय, ₹2-₹2 Central Excise Responsibility बढ़ा दी है
टैरिफ़ नीति पर कुंभकर्णी नींद से शेयर बाज़ार में छोटे-बड़े निवेशकों का एक…
— Mallikarjun Kharge (@kharge) April 7, 2025
“You will need to not have been glad after the small and large buyers within the inventory market misplaced Rs 19 lakh crore in a single go as a result of deep ‘Kumbhakaran-like’ sleep on the tariff coverage that your authorities has come to rub salt into the injuries!” Kharge mentioned.
Commenting on the excise obligation hike, Kharge mentioned in a put up on X, “Lastly, Modi ji gave a befitting reply to ‘tariffs’! Tax on petrol-diesel and fuel cylinder costs had been elevated additional. Individuals affected by inflation got one other present of presidency loot!”
Stalin calls NDA govt sadist
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, who has been at loggerheads with the Centre over varied points together with delimitation and the three-language coverage within the Nationwide Schooling Coverage, termed the Union authorities “sadist” and demanded they roll again the value hike with out ready for polls.
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Stalin cited a Tamil saying, which suggests, “even when somebody didn’t assist, they need to not trigger hassle” and added that that is relevant completely to the “sadist BJP” authorities on the Centre.
நாட்டு மக்களின் வீடுகளில் அடுப்பு எரிய வேண்டுமா? அல்லது அவர்களது வயிறு எரிய வேண்டுமா?
“உதவி செய்யாவிட்டாலும் உபத்திரவம் செய்யாமல் இருந்தாலே போதும்” என்பது, #SadistBJP அரசுக்கு மிகவும் பொருந்தும்!
உலக அளவில் #CrudeOil விலை சரிந்துள்ள நிலையில், #Petrol #Diesel விலையைக்… pic.twitter.com/lLC1I2ejS3
— M.Ok.Stalin (@mkstalin) April 7, 2025
“They rubbed salt to the wound and it has turn out to be a observe for the BJP to impact steep enhance and to enact a drama by lowering a small portion of it earlier than elections. The Centre should rollback the hike instantly, with out ready for elections someplace within the nation,” Stalin urged in a social media put up.
Samajwadi Get together chief Akhilesh Yadav adopted go well with slamming the Centre over the value hike and alleged discrepancies within the MUDRA mortgage scheme. Yadav wrote in an X put up, “On completion of 10 years of the MUDRA scheme, contradictory knowledge has uncovered scams and irregularities price Rs 33 lakh crore beneath the BJP authorities.” He mentioned inventory market buyers misplaced Rs 19 lakh crore not too long ago, LPG cylinder costs have been hiked by Rs 50 and excise obligation on petrol has elevated by Rs 2 per litre.
BJP protest in Karnataka towards value hike
Confronted with protests by BJP leaders in Karnataka, Deputy Chief Minister D Ok Shivakumar urged them to agitate towards the Centre as a substitute. The Karnataka BJP on Monday had launched its 16-day ‘Janakrosha Yatre’, a statewide marketing campaign criticising the Congress authorities for value hike, 4 % reservation for Muslims in authorities contracts and alleged diversion of funds meant to SC/ST sub-plan.
“Namaskara to my BJP pals, you might be all doing Janakrosha Yatre, I congratulate all of you. However on the identical time the Authorities of India, your BJP authorities, has hiked the costs of petrol, diesel and fuel,” Shivakumar mentioned. “I want you all one of the best, you need to proceed your Janakrosha Yatre towards the BJP authorities,” he added.
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Terming BJP’s Janakrosha Yatre as “farce”, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah too on Monday had mentioned, ” Now I need to know the response of the BJP leaders within the state. The BJP leaders ought to clarify to the individuals of the state why the Central Authorities is constantly rising the costs of petroleum merchandise although the value of crude oil is falling within the worldwide market.”
In a put up on ‘X’, he mentioned, Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself has smeared ink on the faces of BJP leaders who’re attempting to place the burden of the sin of value hike on our heads.
“Those that have launched into the Janakrosha Yatra now have solely two choices: both they need to put strain on the Prime Minister to scale back the costs that the Central BJP authorities has elevated, or they need to finish the Yatra, pack up and return to their respective houses. Aside from this, in the event that they proceed with the farce of this Yatra, they are going to undoubtedly face public anger,” he added.
‘Vikas to extract each final penny from widespread individuals’: Mamata Banerjee
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee got here to the fore saying the thought of NDA authorities’s “Vikas” is to extract each final penny from the widespread individuals. “The concept of ‘Vikas’ for BJP authorities on the Centre appears to be squeezing each final penny from the pockets of abnormal Indians. From important medicines to petrol, diesel, and cooking fuel, each necessity is slowly turning into a luxurious,” Banerjee posted on X.
বাহবা নন্দলাল
হাজার টাকার গ্যাসে ফুটছে বিনা পয়সার চালThe concept of “Vikas” for BJP Authorities on the Centre appears to be squeezing each final penny from the pockets of abnormal Indians. From important medicines to petrol, diesel, and cooking fuel, each necessity is slowly…
— Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) April 7, 2025
“Whereas households battle with shrinking financial savings and mounting debt, this regime continues its assault on family budgets. BJP isn’t working a authorities on the Centre, it’s taking cash from individuals’s pockets,” Banerjee added.
With PTI inputs