Kochi (Kerala) [India], March 28 : Congress MP Jebi Mather on Saturday called the slashing of excise duty on petrol and diesel a "temporary arrangement" ahead of Assembly elections in four States and one Union Territory.
The Union Finance Ministry has reduced special excise duty on petroleum products to keep petrol and diesel prices stable amid the tensions in West Asia. The duty on petrol has been cut from Rs 13 to Rs 3 per litre, while diesel duty has been reduced from Rs 10 to zero.
Congress MP Jebi Mather told ANI, "Sometimes we have these special express trains during special occasions, similar to this 'election special temporary arrangement system', which was put in place to balance the rates so that it looks like everything is fine. But everyone understands that it is happening only because of the elections. They (the government) don't want an immediate price hike. The government has put a 'control system' in place purely for the elections. Once the elections are over, all these guarantees will not be there."
Earlier on Friday, Congress MP Jairam Ramesh pointed out that when global crude oil prices fell in the past 12 years, the government did not reduce consumer fuel prices in India. He asserted that it was made solely because of the impending elections and to wait till April 30.
"When global crude oil prices fell as they did on seven different occasions in the past 12 years, consumer prices in India were not reduced. Today's announcement was because of the assembly elections. Wait till April 30th," Ramesh wrote on X.
Congress leader Pawan Khera also questioned the real beneficiaries of these cuts, claiming that it favours oil marketing companies instead of consumers.
However, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman hit back and said, "Just shows how petty they can become. I don't think there can be anything more petty than this. You are bringing politics into something which is a relief for the public. This is shameful."
According to the notification by the Finance Ministry, the government has also revised taxes on Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF). A new excise duty of Rs 50 per litre has been introduced. However, exemptions will limit the effective duty to Rs 29.5 per litre, easing the burden on the aviation sector.
Meanwhile, polling for the West Bengal Assembly elections will be conducted in two phases on April 23 and April 29. Puducherry, Kerala and Assam will vote in a single phase on April 9, while Tamil Nadu will go to the polls on April 23. The counting of votes for all four states and Puducherry will be held on May 4, the ECI announced.