The Congress Monday accused the NDA government of "betraying" the common man as it failed to reduce prices of petrol and diesel in proportion with the drop in international crude oil prices, while the aviation fuel was cheaper than petrol.
"Narendra Modi government's dharma (duty) of profiteering at the cost of aam aadmi eclipses acchhe din (good days). Refusal to reduce the prices of petrol and diesel by the government is a betrayl of 125 crore Indians that the BJP promised to serve," said party spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala in a statement.
Noting that the international crude oil prices fell by more than 50 percent since the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance formed the central government last May, the Congress said petrol and diesel prices were reduced by only 15 percent and 11 percent respectively.
"What is even more painful is the fact that prices of petrol paid by the common man is Rs.61. 33 per litre as against the price of aviation fuel, which is Rs.52.42 per litre," Surjewala said.
The Congress sought to know the government's reasons for not reforming oil companies and for failing to introduce proper price discovery methods that could pass on benefits of reduced international crude oil prices.