Spokesperson: Prof Rajeev Gowda: The AICC Research Department Prof. Rajeev Gowda accused the Narendra Modi-led government of denying citizens the benefits of falling global crude oil prices over the past decade while now passing on the burden of rising fuel prices to the common man amid increasing international energy costs. He said, “There is a race going on between fuel and the rupee as to which will hit the century first.”

Prof. Gowda noted that when global crude prices collapsed from 2014 onwards, particularly during 2020-21, the Centre retained high excise duties and kept retail fuel prices elevated instead of reducing prices for consumers.

The Congress leaders said that at the peak of fuel price increases in October 2021, taxes constituted around 54 per cent of petrol prices and 49 per cent of diesel prices in Delhi. They added that despite India importing discounted Russian crude oil after the Russia-Ukraine conflict in 2022, the government did not adequately pass on the benefits to consumers. The Party leaders alleged that fuel price reductions were often timed around elections, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi being credited for them. They added that price hikes resumed after polling periods concluded.

They noted that petrol prices in Delhi rose from Rs. 94.77 per litre on May 14 to Rs. 99.51 per litre on May 23, while diesel prices increased to Rs. 92.49 per litre. The Party warned that rising petrol and diesel prices would sharply increase transportation costs and trigger inflation in essential commodities such as vegetables, fruits, milk and household goods. He also disclosed that domestic crude production had declined from 36.9 million metric tonnes in 2015-16 to 28.7 MMT in 2024-25.

On fertilisers, the Party leaders said that India remained heavily dependent on imports for key inputs such as Di-Ammonium Phosphate and Muriate of Potash, making food security vulnerable to global price fluctuations.

The Congress leaders questioned why the government raised fuel prices only after elections and accused the Centre of failing to transparently communicate the severity of the fuel and LPG situation to citizens.

The Congress leaders asked as to why did the Modi Government let India’s dependence on crude and gas imports from the Middle East rise so rapidly and why did we not diversify our supplies? • They asked as to why has domestic production stalled, despite Mr. Modi’s tall claims of gas production in the Krishna-Godavari basin? • They questioned the government as to what role has President Trump’s pressure to cut oil imports from Russia played in creating this scarcity?
• “Why has India’s sovereignty been compromised through growing dependence and foreign pressures when the PM has been preaching aatmanirbharta?” they asked. Saturday, May 23, 2026