Diesel Costs More Than Petrol in Indian Capital for First Time

New Delhi (Sputnik): Indian oil marketing companies earlier held back any increase in the retail price of petrol and diesel during the lockdown period. But since 7 June, they have started adjusting retail rates in line with costs after an 82-day hiatus.

With continuous increases in the price of petrol and diesel in India for the past consecutive 18 days, diesel will now cost more than petrol in the nation's capital for the first time. In Delhi a litre of petrol costs INR 79.76 ($1.05), while diesel costs INR 79.88 ($1.056)

For the first time, diesel costs more than petrol in Delhi

Read @ANI Story | https://t.co/eFKTsrBKLS pic.twitter.com/OJNgG73zop

— ANI Digital (@ani_digital) June 24, 2020

​Meanwhile, Rahul Gandhi, former chief of the main opposition party, Congress, has slammed the federal government saying “The Modi government has unlocked the corona pandemic and petrol-diesel prices". Gandhi also tagged a graph with his tweet in Hindi, titled “The coronavirus is not the only rising curve".

मोदी सरकार ने कोरोना महामारी और पेट्रोल-डीज़ल की क़ीमतें “अन्लॉक” कर दी हैं। pic.twitter.com/ty4aeZVTxq

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) June 24, 2020

​Eighty percent of India's crude oil requirements are met through imports. According to estimates, a reduction of one dollar in crude oil prices per barrel results in savings of $1.5 billion on India’s oil import bill.

Indians have been venting their anger through social media and several tweepies reminded Prime Minister Narendra Modi of his campaigns against his predecessor prior to his party coming to power in 2014.  

Diesel prise Rs 79.88 😑
Hypocrisy ki bhi seema hoti he. 😝 pic.twitter.com/UZTwywhB7E

— Ashish Kaliya (@ashishkaliya) June 24, 2020

18 hikes in 18 days

Petrol: Rs 79.76/litre
Diesel: Rs 79.88/litre

Modi yet to find the key of the Ache Din 🤫#PetrolDieselPriceHike pic.twitter.com/RJL1vXPk6i

— AC (@MalabarHornbill) June 24, 2020