The Mumbai Congress Tuesday slammed the BJP-led government in Maharashtra for not reducing taxes levied on petrol and diesel whose prices have skyrocketed.
Talking to reporters, city Congress unit president Sanjay Nirupam said fuel prices witnessed a hike just a day after "the entire nation" hit the streets to protest against the rising rates of petrol and diesel.
The Congress had called for a "Bharat Bandh" Monday to protest the rising fuel prices. Several opposition parties had supported the nationwide shutdown.
A 14 paisa per litre hike in petrol and diesel prices each took the rates to an all-time high Tuesday, according to price notification of state-owned fuel retailers.
Petrol price in Delhi climbed to Rs 80.87 per litre, while in Mumbai it inched up to Rs 88.26. A litre of diesel in the national capital was priced at Rs 72.97 and Rs 77.47 in Mumbai.
Nirupam targeted Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and accused him of "playing with the lives" of the common people.
More From This Section
The Congress leader said the decision by the BJP-ruled Rajasthan and the TDP-governed Andhra Pradesh to reduce the taxes on petrol and diesel is nothing but a "pre-poll gimmick".
"In what can be called a well-planned election gimmick, Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh have reduced the taxes levied on petrol and diesel which will bring down the fuel prices by Rs 2-2.5 per litre in both the states.
"With polls being just around the corner, this decision has been taken to serve their own vested interested rather than solving problems of the people," he said.
"Is Fadnavis waiting for elections to curb fuel prices so that he can take credit for disrupting the lives of the people first and then pretending to help them?" Nirupam asked.
Calling the BJP "insensitive" towards the common people, he said, "The entire nation expected the government to curb the fuel prices after hearing their cries.
"Instead, it increased the fuel prices even today which shows how insensitive and inconsiderate they are towards the problems of the common people.