The government’s decision to hike fuel prices during COVID crisis is “wholly insensitive” and “ill-advised”, said Congress president Sonia Gandhi in a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Demanding a rollback of hike in fuel prices, Gandhi lashed out at the government saying that it is doing nothing short of “profiteering off its people” when they are down and out.

Petrol and diesel prices were hiked for the tenth day in a row on Tuesday.

The fuel prices were increased for the tenth day in a row on Tuesday. The petrol and diesel prices were hiked by 47 and 57 paise per litre respectively in the national capital, compared with the previous day's rates, according to data from Indian Oil Corporation. In ten hikes, petrol price has gone up by Rs 5.47 per litre and diesel by Rs 5.80 a litre.

“I am deeply distressed that in these exceedingly difficult times since the beginning of March, the government has taken the wholly insensitive decision to increase petrol and diesel prices on no less than ten separate occasions,” Gandhi said in her letter.

She accused the government of earning an additional revenue of nearly Rs 2.6 lakh crore through these “ill-advised” hikes in excise duty and the increase in prices of petrol and diesel.

“I see no logic in why the government would even consider such a price increase at a time when the economic impact of Covid-19 is depriving millions of jobs and livelihood, devastating business big and small, rapidly eroding the income of middle class, even as farmers are struggling to sow the crop for the Kharif season,” she said.

“I urge you to roll back these increases and pass on the benefit of low oil prices directly to the citizens of this country. If you wish for them to be 'self-reliant' then do not place financial fetters on their ability to move forward,” the Congress president added.

Gandhi also urged the government to use its resources to put money directly into the hands of those in need in these times of severe hardship.

-With agency inputs

First Published:Jun 16, 2020 11:57 AM IST