The ruling Biju Janata Dal Monday demanded reduction of central excise duty on petrol and diesel keeping the mind the interests of the people and immediate withdrawal of the hike in the price of fuel.
Senior functionaries of the party, including ministers and MLAs and BJD's youth, student and women wing activists staged a dharna in front of the Raj Bhavan here and announced to take the issue to the people in all corners of the state.
Stating that that there has been "abnormal increase" in petrol, diesel and cooking gas prices which affected the lives and livelihood of the people across the country including Odisha, the BJD said it has hit all sections of the society.
"It is unfortunate that the union government is a mute spectator to the fuel price rise and is not taking any effective step to reduce it," the BJD said in a memorandum to President Ram Nath Kovind.
"Since the NDA government came to power, the prices of petrol and diesel have increased. There has been an increase of 111 percent in case of excise duty on petrol and an increase of 350 per cent in excise duty for diesel," the BJD said.
A copy of the memorandum was given to Odisha Governor Ganeshi Lal.
Quoting data from the Petroleum Planning and Analysis Cell (PPAC) of the union petroleum ministry, the BJD memorandum said the NDA government at the Centre has not made any effort to pass on the benefits of cheaper fuel to the masses.
When UPA Government came to power, the international crude oil prices were around 25 US Dollars per barrel and one litre of petrol in Delhi was Rs 33. When the international crude oil prices peaked at 112 US dollars per barrel and a litre of petrol in Delhi cost Rs 65.76, it said.
"However, when the international crude oil price in the present day is about 82.7 US dollars per barrel, a litre of petrol is priced at Rs 82.21. Its astonishing that while the present day international crude oil prices are about 20.5 percent lower than the rate in 2011 and data from PPAC of the union petroleum ministry shows that crude oil prices have been declining since 2014, the benefits of that has not been passed on to the people of India," the ruling party said.
In 2015-16 the international crude oil price was at a low of 46 US dollars per barrel but it did not deter the rise of petrol prices in the country, the memorandum said.
It clearly shows that there has not been a resultant reduction in prices of petrol and diesel as the Centre has not reduced the excise duty on them to pass on the benefit to the common people, said BJD MLA Sanjay Dasburma.
The price of LPG too is rising and the cost of 14.2 kg cylinder has incresed from Rs 780 to Rs 876.89.
The BJD also alleged that the petroleum and natural gas ministry has been trying to mislead the people by giving false information.
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