New Delhi (Sputnik) — Public outrage against rising fuel prices in India has grown after the latest hike, which took the price of petrol to INR 85.29 ($1.25) per liter in Mumbai and the price of diesel to INR 72.96 ($1.07) a liter.
As of Wednesday, one trigger after another had led to the 10th consecutive daily increase in the retail selling price of petrol and diesel.
The government, which has planned a grand celebration to mark its completion of four years in office, is under intense pressure to cut taxes, which account for about 40-50 percent of pump prices and make the commodities the most expensive among South Asian nations.
"The Indian government will take the common man into consideration and come up with short-term and long-term solutions," Pradhan said.
The price build up shows that the pump price has more than doubled in comparison to the price charged to dealers by oil refiners due to taxes charged in the form of excise duties, value added tax and dealer commissions.
READ MORE: India to Curb Import Bill by Converting Surplus Food Grains Into Biofuel
The price rise has impelled the opposition parties to launch a scathing attack on the Narendra Modi government, accusing it of taking the flawed decision of collecting higher duties when crude prices were low in a bid fund infrastructure projects.
READ MORE: India, Russia Look at Potential Collaboration in Blue Fuel
"The central government saves INR 15 on every liter of petrol due to a fall in crude oil prices. The central government puts an additional tax of INR 10 on every liter of petrol…. This money rightfully belongs to the average consumer," P Chidambaram, a former finance minister and leader of the Congress Party, alleged.
Dear PM,
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) May 24, 2018
Glad to see you accept the @imVkohli fitness challenge. Here’s one from me:
Reduce Fuel prices or the Congress will do a nationwide agitation and force you to do so.
I look forward to your response.#FuelChallenge
If Modi govt claims demonetisation and anti-black money drive has brought large number of tax payers in the official net then why charge the common man 100% tax over landed cost of petrol and diesel?
— M K Venu (@mkvenu1) May 23, 2018
#FuelChallenge by Mumbai Congress..
— Bhushan Patil (@bhushankpatil12) May 24, 2018
MRCC under leadership of @sanjaynirupam protests against unjust rise in petrol disel price which is making the life of people difficult! #MumbaiProtestsFuelHike pic.twitter.com/a30p8MYpiq
On social media, people have shared several videos of leaders of the ruling BJP protesting the rise in fuel prices while the Congress Party was in power.
One viral video also shows Prime Minister Narendra Modi boasting of his good fortune when crude prices had come down heavily in 2015.
Modi’s bad luck started?? #FuelOnFire i am not saying but he seems to be..https://t.co/5EoDTSzjdl
— Sanjai (@sanjaichetan) May 22, 2018
The outrage has also taken the form of memes and jokes directed toward the government and Prime Minister Modi in particular.
Petrol #80 @narendramodi @PMOIndia @dpradhanbjp @tanaya_p @RahulGandhi @AKParivartan @NPatnaikOdisha @anubhavpatnaik7 @iamRashmiNayak @The_ViratKholi @ pic.twitter.com/JMB0S3N1nx
— @aftab (@aftab70782201) May 24, 2018
If modi returns in 2019 v got petrol through droper.🤣😂@rssurjewala @divyaspandana @INCIndia @RahulGandhi @siddaramaiah @shaktisinhgohil @yadavakhilesh @nehapant19 @ashokgehlot51 @RJDforIndia @hemangmraval @Umakant1950 @AmitChavdaINC pic.twitter.com/5KOar1IcAn
— SAGAR RUPAREL (@sr16485) May 24, 2018
