Punjab: AAP, Cong, SAD slam Centre over fresh fuel price hike

With the latest revision, cumulative increases in petrol and diesel prices have nearly touched ₹7.5 per litre since fuel price revisions resumed on May 15 after a prolonged freeze

Political parties in Punjab on Monday slammed the BJP-led Centre over the fresh hike in fuel prices, calling it a devastating blow to ordinary citizens.

A commuter gets refuelling done at a filling station after fuel prices were hiked in Amritsar on Monday. (ANI)

Petrol and diesel prices were increased by ₹2.61 and ₹2.71 per litre, respectively, on Monday, marking the fourth hike in less than two weeks as state-owned fuel retailers continued passing on rising international oil prices to consumers amid the ongoing standoff in West Asia.

With the latest revision, cumulative increases in petrol and diesel prices have nearly touched ₹7.5 per litre since fuel price revisions resumed on May 15 after a prolonged freeze.

Reacting to the latest hike, Punjab finance minister Harpal Singh Cheema said it clearly showed the anti-people mindset of the BJP government, which was “continuously squeezing the common man instead of providing relief”.

Addressing a press conference, Cheema said the diesel price hike during the paddy sowing season would adversely affect farmers, and increase the cost of transportation and essential commodities across the country.

Cheema said inflation was not limited to petrol and diesel alone as commercial LPG and aviation fuel prices were also increased. He said these increases were making transportation, travel and essential services more expensive.

Senior Congress leader and leader of Opposition in the Punjab assembly Partap Singh Bajwa too condemned the fuel price hike.

In a post on X, Bajwa said after petrol breached the ₹100 per litre mark, the Rupee may soon crash to ₹100 per dollar while the Modi government continued to celebrate “strong diplomacy” and “economic success”.

The BJP had assured that PM Modi’s global image and friendships would strengthen India’s economy, which had not happened, he said. “The truth is that every economic shock is now being passed directly onto the common citizen,” he said.

Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja alleged that the Modi government was picking the pockets of common people across the country when crude prices had fallen in the international market and oil companies were making huge profits.

“Instead of giving relief to the people, the Modi government is fleecing citizens and extorting money from them through repeated hikes,” he alleged, while asking how the middle class, farmers, transporters, small traders, daily wage earners and youth were expected to survive such an economic burden.

“Every increase in fuel prices directly impacts transportation costs, vegetables, milk, groceries and every essential commodity. This is not merely a fuel crisis — this is an inflation crisis affecting every household,” he observed.

Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal also criticised the hike, noting that it was the fourth increase in petrol and diesel prices in just 10 days.

“This is a crippling blow to the common man already battling skyrocketing prices of essential commodities. It will push the agriculture sector into recession, devastate the middle class, and inflict untold misery on the poor,” Badal said in a post on X.

The SAD chief said the Centre must immediately slash GST and other taxes on fuel and essential items to provide relief from inflation.

Provide ₹10/L reduction in VAT on fuel: BJP to AAP govt

The BJP, on the other hand, defended the hike, claiming that the central government had successfully shielded people from global oil shocks and supply disruptions for more than two months before introducing a calibrated price adjustment, registering the “lowest increase” among major economies.

Punjab BJP leader Pritpal Singh Baliawal also asked the AAP-led state government to reduce taxes on petrol and diesel to provide relief to people instead of criticising the Union government over the fuel price hike.

Baliawal said the Punjab government was currently levying 16.58% value added tax (VAT), along with an additional 10% tax on petrol, resulting in approximately ₹18-19 per litre being collected in taxes. Similarly, on diesel, the state was charging 13.10% VAT, along with an additional 10% tax, amounting to nearly ₹13-14 per litre.